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.H675 nCE, RIGHTEOUSNESS, DUTY, AND FREEDOM, 

Copy 1 The only Sure Fouudations of Empire. 



SPEECH 



HON. GEORGE F. HOAR, 



OK PvlASSACMUSEXTS. 



SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES, 

Jamuary 9, 1900. 




"WASHINGTON. 

1900. 



en 13 



SPEECH 

OF 

HON. GEORGE F. HOAE,. 



The Senate having nnder consideration the joint resolution (S. R. 53) defin- 
ing the policy of the United States relative to the Philippine Islands, as tol- 

Be it resolved by the Senate and House of Representa tives of tlie United States 
of America in Congress assembled. That the Philippine Islands are territory 
belonging to the United States: that it is the intention of the United btates 
to retain them as such and to establish and maintahi such governmental con- 
trol throughout the archipelago as the situation may demand- 
Mr. HOAR said: 

Mr. President: I have listened, delighted, as have, I suppose, 
all the members of the Senate, to the eloquence of my honorable 
friend from Indiafta [Mr. Beveridge] . I am glad to welcome to 
the public service his enthusiasm, his patriotism, his silver speech, 
and the earnestness and the courage with which he has devoted 
himself to a discharge of his duty to the Republic as he conceives 
it. Yet, Mr. President, as I heard his eloquent description ot 
wealth and glory and commerce and trade, I listened in vain for 
those words which the American people have been wont to take 
upon their lips in every solemn crisis of their history. I heard 
much calculated to excite the imagination of the youth seeking 
wealth or the youth charmed by the dream of empire. But the 
words Right, Justice, Duty. Freedom were absent, mj- friend 
must permit me to say, from that eloquent speech. I could think 
as this brave young Republic of ours listened to what he had to 
say of but one occurrence: 

Then the devil taketh Him up into an exceeding high mountain and sheweth 
Him all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them. 

And the devil said unto Him, "All these things will I give Thee if Thou 
wilt fall down and worship me." „ 

Then saith Jesus unto him, "Get thee behind me, Satan. 

Mr. President, the Senator himself and the evidence coming from 
our two commanders. General Otis and Admiral Dewey, and wit- 
nesses for whom thev vouch, refute every one of the propositions 
of fact on which my honorable friend has built his glittering 
temple of glass. He describes the impotence and ineffectual at- 
tempt of Spain for three hundred years to reduce that people to 
subjection: tells us that she had failed. He counsels us to avoid 
the errors and the mistakes and the sins she has committed. If 
that be true, Mr. President, where did Spain get the right to sell 
the people ot the Philippine Islands to us? They had risen against 
that effete and impotent and ineffectual effort of Spam; they had 
driven her from the entire soil of their island, save a single city; 
they hemmed in her troops in that single city of Manila by a cor- 
don of their troops stretching from water to water; and Spain sur- 
rendered to us only because her soldiers could not get out of reach 
3949 3 



of the American guns without being compelled to surrender to the 
Filipinos. 

I think you will have to enlarge the doctrines of the American 
Declaration of Independence. I think you will have to build anew 
a Constitution which, he says, is only an instrument and not a 
rule of duty, before you can find your right to buy and sell that 
people like sheep. 

My honorable friend, I am sure, when he reflects upon it, will 
never advise the people of the United States to do a base thing 
for all this wealth, for all this glory, for all this empire. I say if 
it be true that that was a people that desired independence and 
were fit for independence, then it would be a base thing for this 
young giant in its might to strike down that infant republic. Do 
you not think so? [Addressing Mr. Beveridge.] If you do think 
so. I can prove to the Senate every one of these propositions from 
the testimony of Otis and of Dewey and of Schurman and of the 
witnesses for whom they vouch. 

The Senator said that he said it in the sorrow of his heart, and 
he would not have said it if he had not been compelled to say it, 
that all this blood and warfare and loss of life and expense of 
treasure in this war was occasioned by utterances at home and, 
he was sorry to say. by speeclies in the American Senate. The 
debate in the American Senate on this subject began — with the 
single exception of a brief and calm constitutional discussion by 
the Senator from Missouri [Mr. Vest] — on the 9th of January, 
1899. 

Now, let us see what happened. I have in my hand the report 
of Major-General Otis; and without detaining the Senate at this 
hour in the afternoon, for I shall have occasion to speak more at 
length on this subject later, all through that report and throtigh 
that whole summer are found again and again communications to 
the Government of the United States that the people of the Philip- 
pine Islands desire their independence: that is one thing; that 
they are a people; so the President calls them; and that is the 
phrase which the Declaration of Independence uses when it says 
a people have a right to establish their government in such form 
as they conceive to be necessary for their safety and happiness. 
Then Aguinaldo was brought over there to a people 30,000 of 
whom were in arms as an organized army before he went, and he 
was placed at the head of that people, who were desiring inde- 
pendence, and furnished with arms by the Government of the 
United States. That was the condition of things until Manila 
was surrounded, the Spanish army captured, and the surrender of 
Manila was effected. 

I have here the report— and I have seen the original, and it is 
from the Navy Department— of two naval officers, which Admiral 
Dewey certifies under his own hand gives the best account of 
the condition of things in northern Luzon that is in existence. 
That is the Admiral's own statement. Those officers made a jour- 
ney through the island of Luzon in the months of October, No- 
vember, and I think a few days in December, 1898, just before 
hostilities broke out. and they report every wli ere courts, munici- 
pal government, peace and order, the Spanish prisoners kindly 
treated, schools and churches: that tliey were received with ele- 
gance and hospitality, I will not say such as my friend would re- 
ceive me with if I went to Indiana, but with a very much mxure 
3949 



ffracious and generous hospitality than it would be m my humble 
power to receive him with if he came to Massachusetts. _ 

Thev report schoolbooks, and report the constant, eager desire 
of that people for education. I have all the extracts here before 
me and here is the summing up. This is the original report which 
I have got from the Navv Department, and here is George Dewey s 
certificate, dated December 1 . 1898. I am going to ask the Senate 
to print it: 

Special attention is invited to this interesting and carefully prepared re- 
port which in my opinion contains the most complete and relia^jle informa- 
tion obtainable in regard to the present state of the northern part of Luzon 
Island. GEORGE DEWEY. 

December 1, lJi98. 

Everywhere a people In better order than is found at this moment, 
to say nothing of what was found at the time of their revolution, 
in some countries on the continent of America between the Kio 
Grande and Cape Horn. ( They were a people fitter for self-govern- 
ment than were those of any country on the continent ot America 
from the Rio Grande to Cape Horn when its independence from 
Spain was achieved, and titter than some of them are to-day. 

Mr President, it is that which vou want to crush out and that 
from'which the American flag is supposed to get new glory if we 
stamp it out— this young giant of ours in the freshness and the 
fullness of his strength— and that you call glory! 

What happened in regard to this outbreak which was caused by 
the debate in the United States Senate wh.ch began on the 9th ot 
January, 1899? I have General Otis's report here. In December, 
1898 the President sent to General Otis a famous proclamation- 
mark the date, December. 189.s— and it contains a statement as- 
serting the sovereignty of the United States oyer the Philippine 
Islands and our purpose to give them a good government but 
that we must take possession of the entire island and keep them, 

and so on. ^ . -, ^, . j. ^ -cr^ 

Otis read it and he suppressed the Presidents statement. Me 
said that that language was calculated to crente an immediate 
outbreak of hostilities. I have his exact language here. 1 will 
read it:' 

After fully considering the President's proclamation and the temper of the 
Taialos w th whom I wal daily discussingVolitical problems and the riendly 
intlntioni of the United States Government toward t'le"! J concliuled th^^ 
there were certain words and expressions therein, such as sovereignty 
"Tight of cession,- and those which directed immediate o^cvipatwn etc 
which, though most admirably employed and tersely expressive of actual 
conditions, might be advantageously used by the Tagalo war party to incite 
widespread hostilities among the natives. The ignorant classes- 

These fellows, incapable of self-government according to my 
friend — 

had been taught to believe that certain ^or^ls as " sovereignty," "pi^^^^^^ 
tion " etc had neculiar meaning disastrous to their welfare and signincaut 
of Future polifiS domination, like that from which they had recently been 
freed. 

Now, Mr. President, I have seen in my youth in Massachusetts— 
I do not know much about Indiana— ignorant fellows who believed 
that precise thing here at home, and who are unuoubtedly unut 
for self-government according to him. There are certain men in 
Massachusetts, and the woods are full of them, who would think 



6 

that if Great Britain or any other nation should come and pro- 
pose to assume sovereignty and protection and immediate occu- 
pation and take possession of Massachusetts, they would be ex- 
cited and alarmed and would fly to arms, and they would think 
even that there was a certain glory in giving their lives to jjre- 
vent that sort of tiling from being done. 

But whether that be true or not. whether I misunderstand the 
temper of this great American people, whether I misunderstand 
what the American flag stands for or not. that is what I thought 
it stood for. But I dare say I am mistaken in that belief. 

At any rate, that is what General Otis said. So he took the 
most extraordinary responsibility ever assumed by a military 
commander in regard to his superior's orders, and suppressed 
President McKinley's proclamation, a proclamation which would, 
as he says, have created armed hostilities and an outbreak imme- 
diately, as it wotild have been likely to do wherever there is human 
nature and human feeling and love of liberty. 

But he issuod a proclamation in its stead, which he gives li9re. 
My honorable friend thinks the Filipintis are not fit for self-gov- 
ernment, and he says there are only, as I understand it, about a 
hundred in the island who are. He cites the evidence of a good 
many employers of labor who say there are a great many more, 
but that is his summing up of it. General Otis, instead of this 
proclamation which the President directed him to issue and which 
he thought would bring on a war, goes on and issues a proclama- 
tion in which he promises them independence. That is the next 
thing that happened in December. Here it is. I shall have occa- 
sion to go into this matter more at length when I have more time. 
I will read one of his sentences: 

It is also my belief that it is the intention of the United States Govern- 
ment to draw from the Filipino people so much of the military force of the 
islands as is possible and consistent with a free and well-constituted govern- 
ment of the country. * * * i am also convinced that it is the intention of 
the United States Government to seek the establishment of a most liberal 

f:overnment for the islands, in which the people themselves shall have as 
ull representation as the maintenance of law and order will permit, and 
which shall be susceptible of development, on lines of increased representa- 
tion and the bestowal of increased powers, into a government as free and 
independent as is enjoyed by the most favored provinces in the world. 

That is what you told those men through your military com- 
mander six weeks before the hostilities broke out. 

Mr. TELLER. What is the date of that report? 

Mr. HOAR. It is dated January 4, 1899. There is the promise. 
In another statement he says: 

I will assure the people of the Philippine Islands the full measure of indi- 
vidual rights and liberties, which is the heritage of a free people. 

Now, what does that mean? What does that mean, Mr. Presi- 
dent? My honorable friend says we must hold onto those islands 
forever: that he is a dastard who does not think so. And yet Gen- 
eral Otis, whom the honorable Senator as I have no doubt .justly 
eulogized, as the representative of the honor and the justice of 
the people of the United States, uttered that promise. Did he 
utter that promise to a people of slaves, half Spaniards and half 
savages in character? Did he utter that promise to a people in- 
capable of self-government? He sent home his dispatch, and he is 
in command there now. Now, what happened? 

General Otis states that he sent the original proclamation of 

39i9 



the President containing these words, which were sure to bring 
on an outbreak of hostilities, to General Miller. General Miller 
was lying with a part of the United States fleet opposite Iloilo, 
where the Spaniards had been captured and the insurgent forces 
were in control. He was spoiling for a fight. He was urging 
Otis all the time to let him make an attack at once, "because," 
he said, "the insurgents are strengthening themselves every day." 
General Otis savs that, before having carefully read this procla- 
mation, he incautiously sent a copy of it to Miller, and there- 
upon Miher, contrary to his desire, made it public, and the 
Philippine Island people got hold of it as it was originally made. 
So this document which your great military authority affirmed 
would bring on instant hostilities if it was published, and which 
he had taken the liberty to suppress, was published and sent 
abroad. Then he proceeds to give an account of the effect of the 
publication. He says: 

The publication separated more widely the friendly and war factions of 
the inhabitants. * * * The ablest of insurgent newspapers, * * * edited 
by the uncompromisinsr Luna, attacked it with all the vigor of which he 
was capable. * * * this paper was published in Tagalo; had a consider- 
able circulation. * * * No statement reflecting upon the United States 
Government * * * was too base, untruthful, or improbable for newspaper 
circulation. 

Was there anything worse for newspaper circulation than sub- 
stituting a promise of independence for a purpose to take imme- 
diate possession, I should like to know? 

Aguinaldo met the proclamation by a counter one, in which he indig- 
nantly— 

I now read from General Otis"s report — 

in which he indignantly protested against the claim of sovereignty by the 
United States in the islands which had really been conquered from the Span- 
iards through the blood and treasure of his countrymen. * * * Even the 
women of Cavite province * * * gave me to understand that after all the 
men were killed off they were prepared to shed their patriotic blood for the 
liberty and independence of their country. 

Mr. President, I am proud as any man of the history of the 
United States. I suppose I feel a special and pecuhar pride in 
the history of my own beloved State of Massachusetts. I have sat 
at her dear feet, I have looked into her beautiful eyes, I have lis- 
tened to her high counsel from my earliest childhood. But I 
should feel prouder still if I could write into her glorious history 
a statement like that. 

Is there any American Senator whose blood is so cold, whose 
eyes are so blinded by this wretched glitter and glare of empire 
which Satan is setting before us as he did before the Saviour, that 
his bosom can not be'stirred by such a thing as that, or that he is 
willing to .iom in an attempt to trample under foot the liberties 
of a people like that? Have you read the death song of Rizal? 
It rises to the loftiest strains. Have you read the state papers of 
these men— these Filipinos? They will compare favorably with 
the state papers of any nation on the earth. Have you read their 
constitution? 

Mr. President. I omitted to state one very simple fact given by 
these naval officers. There came a report into the province where 
they were being received as guests at the house of the principal 
magistrate of the village that our commissioners at Paris had re- 
jected the proposition to buy them and had substituted for it 

3949 



8 

what they did in regard to Cuba; and the commander of the mili- 
tary forces, on that report, which turned out to he a mistake, in- 
stantly resigned his authority to the civil magistrates and sheathed 
his sword. 

Mr. BACON. Will the Senator please allow me to inquire if 
that is the statement made by the naval officers to Admiral Dewey? 

Mr. HOAR. It was made by the naval officers. I have it in 
my desk. 

Mr. BACON. I hope the Senator will read it. 

Mr. HOAR. Admiral Dewey vouches for it. It would take 
some time to hunt it up. but I have it here. 

Mr. TILLMAN. The Senator from Massachusetts is going to 
print it in his speech. 

Mr. HOAR. I am going to print the V7hole of it in my speech. 

Mr. BACON. I will withdraw the request, then. 

Mr. HOAR. It is there. I should like to print also two very 
brief, clear narratives by the same officers, which appeared in two 
New York publications, if I may have leave. 

I was going to ask. not referring to any Senator — I am referring 
to some outside statements — is it not a little bold to charge with 
the responsibility of making this war the men who tried to stop 
it, who protested against it, instead of the men who made it? 
There has not been a time from the beginning to this hour when 
assurances of General Otis, given the 1st of January, 1899, if 
repeated from Washington, that they should be as independent 
as the most favored provinces of the world, would not have pre- 
vented the outbreak. But although they got that, they got at the 
same time the true proclamation, which affirmed sovereignty and 
occuiiation and the right of cession, and pretty soon after it they 
got til!' news that they had been bought like a flock of sheep for 
$20,()0U,O0U. 

The mistake of our honorable friends who disagree with me in 
this matter is that they do not understand that the God who made 
of one blood all the nations of the world has made all the nations 
of the world capable of being influenced by the same sentiments 
and the same motives, and that the love of liberty does not depend 
on the color of the skin, but that it depends on humanity. These 
men are God's children, as you are and as I am. and the men who 
boast that sulilime and lofty parentage have had given them by 
the Universal Father the love of liberty and the sense of justice. 

I had no intention of speaking this afternoon; and I have it not 
before me, but you will find in these reports that one of the offi- 
cers makes the exact statement that the Filipinos are exceedingly 
sensitive to any matter of injustice, and all that they need is to 
know that they are to be treated with justice and righteousness. 

I will ask leave also to print these two articles, which are very 
brief. I am not sure whether the statement I now refer to is in 
the magazine article or the report written by the same man. 

The PRESIDENT pro tempore. Does the Chair understand 
that the Senator has asked consent to print the other paper? 

Mr. HOAR. Yes: I ask consent to print the report forwarded 
by Admiral Dewey and articles in the Outlook and New York 
Independent by Messrs. Sargent and Wilcox, the two naval officers 
who made the report. 

The PRESIDENT pro tempore. Is there objection? 

Mr. COCKRELL. Let them be printed as a separate document. 



9 

Mr. HOAR. Very well. I was going to incorporate them in 
my speech, but I should also like to have them printed as a docu- 
ment. . -, T 

Mr. COCKRELL. Then I ask that they be prmted as a docu- 
ment. , „ 

Mr. HOAR. Let them be printed in both forms. 

The PRESIDENT pro tempore. Is there objection to the re- 
quest of the Senator from Massachusetts and of the Senator from 
Missouri that the matter referred to be printed in the Record 
and also as a document? The Chair hears none, and it is so 
ordered. 

rSee Appendix.] , , , ^ . -, ^v. i-^ 

Mr. HOAR. Now, Mr. President, my honorable friend thought 
that saying in a very feeble way such a thing as this in the Sen- 
ate of the United States tended to excite hostilities m the Philip- 
pine Islands. If I understood him correctly, he said also that he 
thought it was not necessary to wait until we could get the very 
best of government here, but if we established it abroad under 
some commissioners to be appointed by some executive authority 
they would govern so well that they would furnish a good 
example for us at home and we should improve. I suppose, 
though he did not say it. that he thinks, also, we had better not 
have free speech here in the United States Senate until they have 
got it out among the Filipinos, to see whether it works there, and 
then it may come back to us in a way which gradually would per- 
mit us to use it here, in a sort of diluted form. , . • 

Mr. President, the Senator gave us his opinion of General Agui- 
naldo. Mr. Schurman, the president of the Filipino Commission 
and of Cornell University, says in a speech made to his students 
last week that he considers Aguinaldo an honest man. The two 
testimonials must of course stand side by side or one must tall 
before the other. 

The Senator cites a good many witnesses from whom he con- 
cludes that the Filipinos are not capable of self-government, but 
when he reads the testimony of a great many of them the reason 
they give is that the lower and uneducated classes will take tlie 
advice and act under the influence of their leaders. His witnesses 
say that the self-government will work all right. But it is because 
the superior will influence the inferior. I looked around to see 
whether the Senator from Indiana was likely to have the lull 
assent of my honorable friend the junior Senator from Ohio [Mr. 
Hann\], or my honorable friend the senior Senator from New 
York FMr. Platt], who happens to be present, to the proposition 
that it is a sign of absolute unfitness for self-government which 
justifies us in slaughtering that people a*id putting thein under 
our heels that the poor ignorant classes are likely to act under 
the influence of their leaders and follow them. [Laughter,] ine 
late honorable Senator from Pennsylvania [Mr. QuayJ is not 
present. I trust my honorable friend will not be influenced m 
his vote on the constitutional question of admittmg Senator ^J^J 
by any idea that .Mr. Quay may possibly be penetrated by that 
Philippine notion. ,. ^ , , ... . 

Mr. President, I wish to read an extract from a letter which is 
one of a great many letters I have received. I had one within two 
days from an eminent general officer thoroughly sympathizing 

with my position in this matter, a man who came home with a 
3ai9 



10 

great and a brave record, but who said that while the excited con- 
dition exists he does not want to have his name nsed and he 
should say nothing. 1 have here a letter from a soldier, who says: 

I am a returned volunteer who believes the United States is pursuing a 
wrong course in the Philippines. There are thousands of others, I believe, 
who, in spite of the noisy receptions, the glamor and glory and medal prom- 
ises, believe the same way. I promised myself before leaving the islands to 
enlist another two years if nece.ssary to help bring the (iovernment back to 
the " humanity " policy stated when it enlisted us to fight. Though a private 
soldier, my word may weigh little, but I feel it will be a source of pleasure 
in the future to remember that at thi,s critical period in our history I was 
spending time and money to help in my humble way to bring the nation back 
to her old-fashioned iiieas of liberty. 

I would come to Washington if I could be of any service, but you doubtless 
have plenty of soldiers and others at hand better capable tlian myself to 
answer your questions. I hope you will put up the fight of your life against 
the Adnainistration's policy. It seems to me you can do a great deal of good 
by acquainting the people with the real condition of things in the islands, 
which no one knows better than yourself that they do not get through the 
papers. The death of General Lawton almost in sight of the church steeples 
of Manila, in a battle that lasted three hours in taking a town our forces cap- 
tured several times before, but never before found it so hard to take as this 
time — this of itself should make sensible people doubt that the war is "just 
over now." The Army of late has been making a good showing, but Congress 
should realize that every Filipino under arms thereto-day means to nave 
and has sworn to have "liberty or death." 

Who was it who used that phrase? Is there a Senator from Vir- 
ginia here who remembers where that expression came from? The 
miserable Filipino got hold of it somehow. I rather think on the 
whole we had better charge this whole bloodshed and slaughter 
and loss of life and treasure to Patrick Henry. The writer of this 
letter says Congress should realize that every Filipino under arms 
there to-day — 

believes that down under our commercial greed must still smolder in our 
hearts a feeling that respects him for this resolution. 

Just think of this man, who has been so long in the Philippine 
Islands, actually so far conspiring with the Filipino insurgent 
cause that he believes, and says the Filipino believes— those sav- 
age barbarians believe of the American people '"that down under 
our commercial greed must still smolder in our hearts a feeling 
that respects him for this resolution." 

We may have been more humane to our prisoners, but our Army has been a 
g:reater scourge to their country than the Spanish army in a hundred years. 
But still they dispute every advance and close in in the wake of every retreat. 
They are not savages, Senator, as you know, of course. I want to toll you 
how our regiment changed its mind upon this point. We had been taught 
(the devil only knows why) that the Filipinos were savages no better than 
our Indians. 

But General Lawton took half my regiment with him on the Santa Cruz 
expedition. The boys came back with different ideas, denied that they were 
savages, and confessed they did not want to fight them any more. They had 
seen in their deserted houses schoolbooks everywhere — grammars, geog- 
raphies, and arithmetics— well thumbed. They had seen schoolhouses, 
churches, government buildings, halls of justice, paintings, decorations, and 
all kinds of handiwork: a city paved, cleaned, and draimd, happy in peace 
and plenty, before they came on their mission of distrilmtiiig the peace com- 
missioners' proclamation. After this trip neither the "' nigger" nor "Indian " 
talk made them enthusiastic soldiers. 

One thing more: The papers announce that the Filipinos are to do honor to 
General Lawton. This, whether intended or not. puts things in a false light. 
The fact is, there are a lot of Filipinos working for and hanging on to the 
Americans because of the big wages they pay, and much of this money is 
sent through the lines one way or another to helj) the iuNurgents. Nine out 
of every ten of these men are at heart in sympathy with the insurgent cause. 
The people should know these things. 

Pardon me, Senator, for addressing one who must at this time be burdened 
with correspondence, but I felt I must say a word and tell you one soldier at 
least respects the American traditions, etc. 



11 

I shall have occasion, Mr. President, to discuss this question at 
some length hereafter. I desire to ask leave to print with my 
speech an appeal made by Felipe Buencamino. settmg forth the 
desires and aspirations of the Filipino people, addressed to the 
House of Representatives. I suppose it does not come in regularly 
as a petition, hut I should like to have it to refer to. I wish to 
have it printed in connection with my speech and also as a docu- 
ment. ^ ,^ 

The PRESIDENT pro tempore. Does the Senator from Massa- 
chusetts desire that it shall be included in the other document or 
printed as a separate documentV 

Mr. HOAR. I think it would be well to include it in the other 
document. I desire to have it printed with my speech and also 
as a document. I add, also, this letter from Gen. Charles Kmg: 
[Gen. Charles King's letter to Milwaukee Journal.] 

THE FILIPINOS AS THEY ARE. 

San Francisco, June 3-2, 1899. 
To the Editor of the Journal, Milwaukee, Wis. 

Dear Sir: Thinking over your telegram and request of June 7, I find my- 
self seriously embarrassed. As an officer of the Army, there are many rea- 
sons why I should not give my "views of situation in the Philippines, how 
long fighting is likely to'contiuue, and thoughts as to America's part in future 
of islands." , , .^ , j i.... .3 

The capability of the Filipinos for self-government can not be doubted. 
\ Such men as Arellano. Aguinaldo, and many others whom I might name are 
highly educated; nine-tenths of the people read and write, all are skilled arti- 
sans in one wav or another: they are industrious, frugal, temperate, and, 
given a fair staVt, could look out for themselves infinitely better than our 
people imagine. In my opinion they rank far higher than the Cubans or the 
uneducated negroes to whom we have given the right of suffrage. 

Very truly, yours, CHARLES KING, 

Brigadier-General. 

The PRESIDENT pro tempore. Is there any objection to the 
request of the Senator from Massachusetts that the paper to which 
he refers he printed as a part of his speech and also as a docu- 
ment? The Chair hears none. It is so ordered, 

[See appendix.] 

APPENDIX. 
[From The Outlook, September 3, 1899.] 

THE BACKWOODS FILIPINO. 

[By Leonard R. Sargent.] 

It has been my privilege to have been intimately associated with the Fil- 
ipino neople for a short time at a most interesting period of their history. 
With the permission of Admiral Dewey, I spent the greater part of the months 
of October and November of 1898, in company with Paymaster W. B. Wilcox, 
United States Navy, in the interior of the northern part of the island of Lu- 
zon. 1 It will be remembered that at that date the United States had not yet 
announced its policy with regard to the Philippines. The terms of the treaty 
with Spain were being negotiated by our commissioners at Pans, and the 
fate of the islands huiig in the balance. In the meantime the native popula- 
tion, taking matters into their own hands, had declared their independence 
from all foreign jurisdiction and had set up a provisional government, with 
Aguinaldo at its head. , , 

Although this government has never been recognized, and in ail propar 
bility will go out of existence without recognition, yet it can not be denied 
that, in a region occupied by many millions of inhabitants, for nearly six 

1 The author of this article, it should be stated, is a naval cadet. The report 
made by Mr. Sargent and Paymaster Wilcox was regarded by Admiral ^ewey 
as of great value, and the Admiral commended them for " the success ot their 
undertaking, their thoroughnessof observation, and the ability shown m their 
report." — Tlie Editors. 
3949 



12 

months it stood alone between anarchy and order. The military forces of 
k the United States held control only in Manila, with its environs, and in 
' Cavite, and had no anthority to proceed further: while in the va.st remain- 
ing districts the representatives of the only other recognized power on the 
field were prisoners in the hands nf their despised subjects. It was the 
opinion at Manila during this anomalous period in our Philippine relations, 
and possibly in the United States as well, that such a state of affairs must 
breed something akin to anarchy. 

I can state unreservedly, nowever, that Mr. Wilcox and I found the exist- 
ing conditions to be much at variance with thfs opinion. During our absence 
from Manila we traveled more than tJlKimiles in a very comprehensive circuit 
through the northern part of the island of Luzon, traversing a characteristic 
and important district. In this way we visited seven provinces, of which 
some were under theimmediate control of the central governmentat Malolos, 
while others were remotely situated, separate'd from each other and fi'om 
the seat of government by natural divisions of land, and acces.sible only by 
lengthy and ardtious travel. As a tribute to the efficiency of Aguinaldo's 
government and to the law-abiding character of his subjects, I offer the fact 
that Mr. Wilcox and I pursued our journey throughout in perfect security, 
/and returned to Manila with only the most plea.sing recollections of the quiet 
Ljand orderly life which we found the natives to be leading under the new 
/ ■ regime. 
^ Some years ago, at an exposition held at Barcelona, Spain, a man and 

woman were exhibited as representative types of the inhabitants of Luzon. 
The man wore a loin cloth and the woman a scanty skirt. It was evident 
that they belonged to the lowest plane of savagery. I think no deeper 
wound was ever inflicted upon the pride of the real Filipino population 
than that caused by this exhiljition, the knowledge of which seems to have 
spread throughout the island. The man and woman, while actually natives 
of Luzon, were captives from a tribe of wild Igorrotes of the hills: a tribe 

ias hostile to the Filiinnos as to the Spaniards themselves, and equally alien 
j to both. It is doubtful to what extent such islanders are responsible tnr the 
; low esteem in which the Filipino is held: his achievements certainly liave 
i never been well advertised, while his shortcomings have been heralded 
%[ abroStl. The actual, everyday Filipino is not as jiicturesque a creature as 

\ the Igorrote. The average human imagination has a remarkalile affinity for 
the picturesque; and the commonjilace citizen of Luzon is too often over- 
looked in the presence of the engrossing savage. If the observer's attention 
can be drawn to the former, however, much that is of interest will be found 
in his comparatively homely life. 

In our journey we traveled first across the province of Nueva Icija, by 
far the poorest and least interesting of all the provinces we visited. And 
yet even here we were greatly surprised by the intelligence and refinement 
of the inhabitants. While' our entertainment at first was meager — for want 
of the wherewithal to isrovide a more generous one — we could nevertheless 
detect the same spirit of hospitality that found vent in elaborate maniffsta- 
tions in the richer towns which we visited later. We were particularly 
struck by the dignified demeanor of our hosts and by the graceful manmr in 
which they extended to us their welcome. We had unlimited opportunities 
for conversation with the citizens of the towns, and we found everywhere a 
class that gave evidence of considerable culture and a certain amouiit of 
education. Their education included those branches only which were taught 
at the schools conducted by the priesthood at the caiiital towns of the jirov- 
inces, and was of rather an impracticable nature. The Spanish language, 
Spanish history (appropriately garbled), church history, and the dead lan- 
guages evidently formed its leading features. 

The natives of this class seemed to have made the most of the opportuni- 
ties offered them, and they had the subjects above mentioned completely at 
command. This enabled them to give a trend to their conversation that 
served at least to indicate their as|)irations. OB._the other hand, their igno- 
rance of modern history and politics, and particularly of current events, was 
astonishing. What they knew of the United States had been learned, like the 
Latin, from Spanish teachers, but was not equally reliable. Not only in the 
backward province of Nueva Icija, but elsewhere throughout our journey, we 
found the same fund of misinformation on the suliject. This related in great 
measure to the attitude of our Government toward the two'races of people that 
have come under itsjurisdiction withan inferior i)olitical status, namely, the 
negroes and the Indians. Of the condition of the negroes since the war, the 
Filipinos seem not to be aware. They express great curio.sity on the sul)ject 
of the Indian question, and have evidently been taught to see in the unliapiiy 
condition of that race the result of deliberate opjiression, and a warning of 
what they may expect from our Governmi-nt if they submit themselves tn its 
legislation. Of ourselves, the citizens of the Unit<'(l states, they have been told 

' that we possess neither patriotism, honor, religion, nor any other restraining 
or refining influence. A charact(>r has been given us consistent with the acts 
atti'ibntecl to our nation. The uati ves are now undoubtedly becoming enlight- 
3949 



13 

ened as to our true character, but it will probably be a long time before their 
last suspicions are removed. In the meanwhile we can not but hope that the 
good faith of our Government in any pr(jposition it may make to the Filipino 
people will be -accepted in advance. When it becomes a question of our fair- 
ness and our honest intentions toward them, the burden of proof must rest 
on us. 

The towns of Nueva Icija are small and unimposing. They are composed 
principally of "nipa" huts, built on "stilts" to evade the vai^ors that rise 
from the marshy ground. 

The "stilts" and the frame of the hut are framed of bamboo poles, and an 
excellent floor is made from long, thin strips of the same wood laid together 
with their curved surfaces upward. The roof is thatched with grass, and 
the sides of the hut are formed of leaves of the "nipa "plant plaited together. 
Screens made of the same material serve in place of windows, sliding back 
and forth on bamboo guides in front of apertures cut in the walls. A short 
bamboo ladder gives entrance to the hut. which consists of two rooms, one 
forward of the Other. The front room is rai.sed a step higher than the rear 
one and is provided with as smooth a floor as possible, to be used principally 
for sleeping purposes. The back room contains the native stove, the only 
piece of furniture in the hut. This consists of a section of the trunk of a 
large tree hollowed out into the form of a bowl and lined with mortar. 
Many "nipa" huts are far more elaborate, but the one described is of the 
commonest type and frequently forms the home of a large family. 

It will be noticed what an important part the bamboo forms in the con- 
struction of these huts. The value of the bamboo tree to the natives of all 
tropical countries has been too often dilated upon to bear further repetition; 
but I can not refrain from mentioning one use to which I have seen it put in 
this province. In the outskirts of one town through which we passed we no- 
ticed a number of huts whose owners, having made some attempt at culti- 
vating the land in their immediate vicinity, had built a fence of bamboo to sep- 
arate their fields from the road. There was nothing particularly remarkable 
about the fence, except that fences of any kind are not numerous in that 
country, but we were struck with astonishment on noticing a gate, through 
which a native had passed, close forcibly behind him without any efl'ort on 
his part. We proceeded at once to investigrate the phenomenon and discov- 
ered that the resvilt which had so surprised us had been accomplished by the 
following unique arrangement: A long bamboo cord had been made fast to 
the gate and to a point near the top of "a bamboo sapling growing in the yard, 
so that the cord was taut when the gate was .shut. The gate opened outward, 
and could be passed through only by bringing sufficient pressure to bear to 
bend the sapling. When the pi-essure was released, the sapling would spring 
back to its erect position, closing the gate with a slam. With the means at 
hand a Yankee might well have been atalossjto. devise a neater or more ef- 
fective scheme. -■" ..^ -- ... 

The province of Nueva Icija is low and marshy, and rice is almost the only 
agricultural product. At the time of our visit the entire population, both 
male and female, was engaged in the thrashing of rice, which, under their 
artistic manipulation, becomes a most picturesque proceeding. The imple- 
ments used resemble, on a large scale, the pestle and mortar of a chemist. 
The mortar is replaced by a section of a log of hard wood, hollowed out into 
the shape of a bowl or trough: the pestle by a club about i feet long, with 
ends about 6 inches in diameter and the middle part scraped down to the 
shape of the hand and worn smooth by constant friction. The rice is thrown 
into the mortar as it is cut. The club, held in the middle, is raised well above 
the head in the right hand and cast vertically down upon the rice: caught up 
with the left hand as it rebounds, thrown again, and caught up with the right. 

The workers make an interesting picture, half a dozen of them perhaps 
beating in the same mortar, their dark skins glistening in the sunlight, and 
every firm muscle working as their bodies move in the graceful action of 
their labor. These people are musical by nature, and there undoubtedly is 
harmony in this rhythmical beating of wood on wood. The sound penetrates 
to the most distant places and seems never to cease. It comes to you like 
the beating of a muffled drum, and brings before your mind the supple figures 
of the native girls casting their clubs in that graceful movement, down with 
the right hand, up with the left, down with the left hand, up with the right. 
I only once saw the workmen emphasize the musical element that charac- 
terizes this labor. On this occasion a party of four natives, two young men 
and two young women, were beating at the rice in one long trough, while an 
old man, .sitting near with a musical instrument like a guitar, strummed the 
time. . „ ...r 

In traveling from Nueva Icija into the neighboring province ot Nueva 
Vizcaya, and from there on through the greater part of the latter province, 
we passed through a rough and mountainous country. Our progress here 
was deplorably diflicult, but the numerous views of magnificent scenery to 
which we were treated more than repaid us for our labors and hardships. „ X 
■^^ . never before had suspected that Luzon Island contained within its borders 
3949 



14 

such harmonies m landscape as it has been my good fortune to see. There 

are spots m the mountains of Nueva Vizcaya from which the aspect of the 

surroundmg country overwhelms an observer with all the power of music 

and thrills his artistic sense into ecstasy. The deep-rooted prejudice that 

. many men posses.s against all that is tropical, I think, would disappear in' 

• every case under i he influence of the clear atmosphere and healthful soil of 

.' this beautiful province. 

From Nueva Vizcaya for the next three weeks of travel we passed from 
one hospitable town to another, and enjoyed a round of novel entertainments 
Our route now carried us through the valley of the Rio Grande Cagayan— 
probably the largest area of level country in Luzon Island. 

With the exception of the region in the immediate vicinity of Manila, and 
ot the narrow strip of land along the western coast, this vallev, previous to 
the revolution, was the firmest and most ancient seat of Spanish authority 
on the island. Its towns throughout give evidence of the labor that has been 
expended on them. There are comparatively few "nipa" huts, and many 
substantial frame buildings. Each town, moreover, has an elaborate church 
and convent, usually built of brick. Many of these churches date back into 
the last century, one which I remember particularly bearing the date 1780 as 
that of its completion. 
■■'- Our entertainment in the different towns varied according to the facilities 
at hand; but in all cases music was a leading feature. In the absence of all 
accessories the village band would be calleu into the building in which we 
were received and would play tune after tune well on into the night, while 
we conversed at our ease with the viliage fathers. At the little village of 
Cordon, which has a population of only a few hundred, we passed one of the 
pleasantest evenings of our journey. In this instance four accomplished lit- 
tle girls gave the entertainment its particular charm. Soon after our ar- 
rival the entire village trooped into the large room of the public building 
that had been turned over to our party. The floor was cleared for a dance, 
and the band commenced with a waltz. After the waltz was finished two of 
the little girls danced a minuet and sang a very pretty dialogue accompani- 
ment. The movement of the minuet was very slow and stately, and the little 
dancers went through it with charming effect. 

As an encore when the minuet was finished, they sang a Si)anish love song 
together. The ages of these little girls were 11 and 12, respectively, and they 
did not look at all older than their years. They were dressed as grown-up 
young ladies, however, with their hair elaborately arranged, and with long 
trams to their cotton gowns. When I asked their mother if this style of 
dress had been adopted as a masquerade, she said, "Oh, no. I expect both 
my little girls to be married very soon." After all, some of the customs of 
the Filipinos are rather picturesque. 

After a short rest these girls and two others of about the same age danced 
the "contrabandista," using castanets. We enjoyed this dance very much. 
The dancers arranged themselves at starting in the form of a square, and 
frequently returned to that figure. Passing and repassing each other, twirl- 
ing unexpectedly about, and posing for an instant, only to resume the rapid 
step, their tiny, erect figures moved with charming grace and quickness in 
time with the music, and their castanets kept up a lively accompaniment. 
When directions were needed, they were received from an old man, who occu- 
pied the position of dancing master in the village. A guitar and a flute sup- 
plied the only music for the dance. At times even this was dispensed with, 
and, in its stead, the dancing master sang a plaintive air in his native dialect. 
The music and dancing continued until we requested an opportunity to rest. 
On other occasions we have been shown manv dances peculiar to the country, 
and have found that, while they are all graceful and interesting, nojie are m 
t he lea st grotesque or bar.baj'ic. 

The towns of lletg^n and Aparri, with their wealthy and pleasure-loving 
population, provided the most elaborate entertainment. Ilagan is the capi- 
tal city of the tobacco-raising province of Isabella, and is situated near the 
head of navigation of the Rio Grande; Aparri is situated at its mouth, in the 
province of Cagayan, and is the only seaport of the valley. These towns are 
laid out in regular streets, and have many squares of substantial frame 
buildings. They have each a population of between ten and fifteen thou.sand. 
We spent three days at Ilagan, and I think that it was here that we were 
brought intojjjoaegttouchwith the Pilijuno character. The cultured class, 
which I have spokerTsTTjefoferwas .strongty in evidence; and 1 think that 
, before leaving we had discussed views with nearly every memter of it. 
j They all realized that they were passing through a crucial period in the 
; history of their people, and young and old were eager to acquire all possible 
' knowledge that might assist them to think clearly at this crisis. Their real- 
ization of the gravity of their position did not, however, rob their charac- 
ter of its natural gayety, nor make them forget their duty as host^. On 
the evening following our arrival a ball was given in our honor, which was 
attended by all the elite of the town. There were present about fifty young 
women and twice that number of men. All were dressed in European 
fashion. The girls were pleasant and intelligent; the men comported them- 
3949 



15 

selves in all respects like gentlemen. It was hardjiO realize that we were in K 
tlie very heart of a country generally snp]5nseTrfoTSe given np to semisavages. ' 
At -intervals between dances many songs were sung, usually by one or two 
of the guests, while all frequently joined in the chorus. The national hymn 
was repeated several times with great enthusiasm. The ball lasted until 
nearly 3 o'clock in the morning, and broke xip with good feeling at its height. 

On the second evening we were invited to attend the theater, where two 
one-act Spanish plays were presented by the young society people of the town. 
The theater itself had been constructed by the villagers only a few weeks 
before. It was a large bamboo structure, one end of which was used as the 
village market, while the stage occupied the other end. The stage arrange- 
ments were good; curtain, side scenes, and footlights all en regie. In the 
performance of the play we saw our friends — these typical young Filipinos — 
f in a light in which very tew at our nation have had an opportunity to view 
them. They comported themselves with credit in a position where humor, 
intelligence, and artistic ability were the requisites of success. 

During our stay at Ilagan we lived at the house of the mayor. This build- 
ing was of great .size, and was built of magnificent hard wood from the neigh- 
boring forest. One wing, containing a reception room and two bedrooms, 
was turned over to us. The reception room was very large, with a finely 
polished floor, and with windows along two sides. It contained a piano and 
a set of excellent bamboo furniture, including the most comfortable chairs 
and divans imaginable. There were two tall mirrors on the wall, and a num- 
ber of old-fashioned pictures and franied paper flowers. In this room our 
friends gathered in the afternoon and took measxires to make the time pass 
pleasantly for us. Whenever the conversation threatened to lose its anima- 
tion, there was always some one at hand ready to accede to our host's request 
to play on the piano or to sing. 
' There was one form of hospitality which we met both at Ilagan and at 
Caparri that we would gladly nave avoided. I still shudder when I recall the 
stupendous dinners that were spread before us night after night. The Fili- 
pinos pride themselves on their cookery, and it is indeed excellent. There 
could be no cause for complaint on that score. There is never any suspicion 
of the greasy and garlicky flavor to the food that characterizes a Spanish 
meal (Jur host at Ilagan employed three cooks, each of whom in turn offi- 
ciated at the preparation of one of the three dinners which we ate in that 
town. It is impossible to say which one deserved the palm. The sjiortest 
of the three dinners numbered fiftefiQcourses and seemed interminable. In 
addition to fish, rice, chickens, STld omefdomestic products of the country, 
there was served game of many sorts, including doves, snipes, deer, mountain 
buffalo, and boar. It was astonishing how many of the dishes were "coniida 
del pais," and must be sampled by the visitors to secure a just conception of 
the Filipino talent in matters of the palate. We felt on leaving the table as 
if the horn of plenty had been thrust against our lips and its contents to the 
last crumb forced down our unwilling throats. I notice in my diary an entry 
made after returning from a dinner in one of the western provinces, where 
more moderation was displayed, which reads: "We had been in dread of 
encountering another such feast as those at Ilagan and Aparri, but found, to 
our great relief, that this meal lasted through only eight courses." 

A Filipino dinner is usually served shortly after noon, and is followed by 
the siesta. The next meal comes about 9 o'clock, but is ordinarily pre- 
ceded about three hours earlier by light refreshments of chocolate and sweet- 
meats. The native is very fond of the latter, which he prepares from cocoa- 
nut meat and sugar. His table is always set— at least when guests are 
present— with a tablecloth and napkins, and the customary supply of knives 
and forks. He is very temperate m his use of liquor. .4.n alcoholic beverage 
is made from the sap of the "nipa" plant, and imported wines are served in 
the houses of the rich in the large towns. None of these are used to excess, 
however; and I l]ave nev.ar seen an intoxicated Eihijino. 

Throughout the faiTey oFtTie Rio Crrancle, as well as "the province of Nueva 
Vizcaya, the wilder regions are inhabited by Igorrotes. These savages are 
not powerful enough to attack a town of any size, but they are a formidable 
menace to the smaller villages, and particularly to travelers. Unarmed in- 
dividuals can not go with impunity from one town to another, but must travel 
in parties and with an armed escort. For this reason communication between 
the towns of these provinces is comparatively rare. Many provinces— such 
as Nueva Vizcaya— are shut off from their neighbors by ranges of mountains, 
whose passes lie in the Igorrote territory, and are eminently exposed to at- 
tack. At certain seasons of the year these attacks become especially numer- 
ous, on account, it is said, of the religious ceremonies observed by the Igor- 
rotes. These ceremonies require the presence of human heads; and, accord- 
ingly, the whole tribe, moved by a deep feeling of piety, proceeds, with its 
armament of arrows and lances, to waylay whatever unhappy Filipinos may 
come within reach. One of these seasons of religious manifestation lasts nine 
days. It had become so notorious, and had cost so many lives, that a few 
years ago a law was passed prohibiting travel on certain roads between pre- 
scribed dates. 
3949 



16 

Many tribes of Igorrotes have been brought partly within the pale of civi- 
lization, principally in the western provinces. These tribes, in their semi- 
civilized state, are called Trugmanes. They live in primitive villages, and 
are presided over hy leaders chosen from their own tribe. I have .seen many 
of these people. The chiefs dress in Fili])ino garb, with cotton trousers, and 
a shirt falling outside of all. The chief is always seen carrying his staff of 
office — a gold-headed cane. The tribesmen wear only loin cloths. Thej^ are 
finely-built and very powerful men. 

The dangers incident to travel have had much to do with the.confusion of 
dialects that pi-evails on the island, and this confusion is consequently more 
marked in the eastern than in the western provinces. The educated class of 
Filipinos can speak two languages that are universal throughout the island 
in their own class; these are Spanish and Tegalog. The ignorant natives, on 
the other hand, have only their own provincial dialect. These dialects are 
so different one from another that they must be separately studied to be un- 
der.stood. Dictionaries of many of them have been made by the Jesuit 
priests. Through the servants of our party, we had at command five dia- 
lects in addition to the Spanish and Tegalog, yet in passing through one 
province we failed utterlj- to make ourselves understood by a native whom 
we accosted, although we plied him patiently with these seven languages. 

There is but one individual who seems never to be daunted bv the obstacles 
and dangers that separate him from the province towai'd which he sees fit to 
direct his footsteps. I refer to thi' Chinaman. In almost every village we 
visited we found at least one of that race; and in the larger towns there were 
many. They are the merchants of the island, presiding over every .shop, and 
drawing money from every village. \They are deeply h ated by the Filipinos, 
and were the ob.iect of a gtricjLemigration law under tlie administration of 
Aguinaldo's provisional government: \ 
''^ The steamer Oslo, which took our party from Aparri, brought to that port 
a number of Chinese immigrants, destined in the greater part for Manila. 
The supercargo, however, desired to leave .50 of them at Aparri, and offered 
the governor of that place S.")() per head for that number if he would peimit 
them to land. His offer was promptly refused. 

Our party proceeded on the Oslo from Aparri around the northwestern 
corner of the island and landed on the coast near the northern end of the 
province of South tlocos. From here we proceeded by land southward 
through the western provinces. During this part of our journey we were 
thrown into closer association than previously with the military element of 
the population, of which I hope to have an opportunity to speak further in a 
subsequent article. 

The towns on the western coast are even larger than those on the Rio 
Grande. Vigan, the capital of South Ilocos, has a population of about 28.fK)0, 
and Candon. farther to the southward, is not far behind this figure. The 
mayor of Candon was of the hustler type, and was evidently on the outlook 
for an opportunity to "boom " his town. On our departure he preisented us 
with a written description of its exceptionally desirable location from a busi- 
ness standpoint. Every town gave evidence of the bitter fighting that had 
taken place between the natives and the Spaniards: many of the larger 
buildings, which had been used for defense, being riddled with bullet holes. 

We no longer passed from town to town through unsettled stretches of 
country. The fields on both sides of the road were under cultivation and 
were dotted with laborers, while on the road itself there were always many 
travelers. The laboi'ers in the fields worked in the shade of large screens of 
nipa leaves, which they carried with them from place to place. 

Many of the travelers we pas.sed were women. To give freedom to their 
limbs in walking, the skirts of their dresses were so arianged that the i-ear 
end could be drawn up between the knees and tucked into the belt in front, 
leaving the legs bare from the knees down. Their graceful carriage, which 
never failed to elicit our admiration, is due, to a great extent, I think, to 
their custom of carrying burdens upon their heads. This method of trans- 
portation has become a second nature to them, and is applied to articles of 
all descriptions. I have seen a native woman, with her hands swinging 
freely at her sides, walk briskly along with a pint bottle of gin balanced care- 
lessly upon her head. On the other hand, their loads are often of great 
weight and towering height. 

The Filipino maidens of high degree do not differ fi'om their laboring sis- 
ters in the matter of graceful carriage. Many of them are pleasing in feature 
as well. Their education, however, seems to be responsible for a lack of 
vivacity, at least in their conversation with young men. They have evidently 
been taught to appear as cold and distant as possible in such society. On one 
point only they are always ready to meet you on terms of friendly equality; 
and that is when you make bold to suggest a smoke. They are always glad 
to^accept a citcarette or small cigar, and if you are not prompt in offering one 
in all probability will produce one from their own supply and ask your per- 
mission to light it. This habit quickly ceases to attract your notice, except 
under unusual circumstances. At a town in Isabella my attention was drawn 
3919 



17 



to a number of voung girls returning from their first communion. They were 
clothed in dresses of pure white, and long veils hung chastely down below 



their shoulders 



Tdrank in the details of the picture with delight until I came to the thick 
haze that overhung it. Through the meshes of each veil a tube of tobacco 
was thrust and every pair of dainty lips gave its continual contribution to 
the cloud of smoke thkt dwelt around the little group like a halo of universal 

^* The'^men whom we met in the western provinces-our hosts at the differ- 
ent towns-possessed in general the same characteristics that we had observed 
in their countrymen farther to the eastward. We noticed however, a marked 
difference between the inhabitants of the two districts in t he matter of the pre- 
vailing religious sentiment. Throughout the valley of the Rio Grande the 
ordinary ceremonies of worship were almost entirely suspended for want ot 
■nersons ordained to conduct them. , ,, , j • ^i „ 

^ in Tocos and Union, however, natives had been promptly placed m the 
sacred offices left vacant by the imprisonment of the bpanish priests; and at 
the time of our visit they were conducting all the services of the church. 
Freedom of thought ma/ked the views of every Filipino that I have heard 
express himself on the subject of religion, and although I certainly have 
met devout Catholics among them. IJudgethat^^atchurch on acco_^^^ 
the abuses with which it has been associa^ea^iTtHeisland, has failed on the 
whole to secure an exclusive hold on the minds of the natives. 

In speaking of the Filipino people, I have had reference throughout pi in- 
cipally?o on? class of their society, which I have called the cultured class^ 
If mv observations of that class are just, however, I think that inferences 
. can skfely be drawn from them that extend their apphcation over the entire 
TagaldiT population. The great mass of this population has been kept n an 
tinlnlighteiied state by deliberate legislation which has effectual y deprived 
"hem Sf every possible opportunity for advancement. Those who ha. eac- 
riuired education have acquired it at an extravagant cost that has placed it 
hopelessly beyond the reach of all but thewealthy. There are few, if any, 
among that number, however, who, while^possessmg the Price of a school- 
ine have neglected to apply it to that end. I can not see what better gaage 
wlcan obtain at present of the intelligence and ambition of the whole Pili- 
^no^^ee than the progress that has been made by its favored members wth 
the limited opportunities at their command. Throughout the islan(laJiliiLatv 
f orjcnowledge is manifested and an extravagant respect tor those who pos- 

^®?have seen a private native citizen in a town, in the interior exercise a 
more powerful influence than all the native ojhcias over the mind. sot the 
inhabitants, simply Ijecause he was known to have been educated m the best 
schools at Manila, and was regarded for that reason as a superior man. The 
heroes of these people are not heroes of war, but ot science and invention. 
Without rival, the American who is best known by reputation in L,uzon is 
Mr Edison, and any native with the slightest pretension to education whom 
you may question on the subject will take dehght in reciting a list of his 
IchieveLents. The ruling Filipinos, during the existence of. .their nrovi- 
' sional government, appreciated the necessity of providing public schools to 
be accessible to the poorest inhabitants. Had events so shaped themselves 
al to have provided an opportunity for carrying into effect the plans formed 
on this JoiSt, it seems poUible that the mental plane of the entire population 
might have been raised gradually to a surprising height. 

Out of respect to the statements of other pe<jple which the narrative of my 
experience may seem to contradict. I wish to say that I have found the native 
of the interior of Luzon an astonishingly different cl^^^-^^t^f^,"?, tj^^if^^® 
ordinarily met in Manila. Previous to my journey, I 7^^?^,^^ "^.',f,fn'^^°^ 
I had encountered in that city with great dislike, and after my letinn 1 was 
unable to overcome that feeling. They are not a fair f mple of the i ace and 
I cannot expect anyr.ne who has formed his judgment on t^f^ sub ert merely 
from observations of that type to express an opinion similar to mine, as re 
corded above. 

[From The Outlook, September 3:1, 1899.] 

THE MILITARY FILIPIXO.' 

[By Leonard R. Sargent.] 
The nrovisional government which assumed control of Filipino affairs in 
Luzon Island after" the downfall of the Sp anish power was a military one. 

1 See the article on " The backwoods Filipino," by Mr Sargent, in The Out- 
look of September 2. The author, it will be reniembered is a naval cadet who 
spent the greater part of the months of October and November of l«>b, m 
company with Paymaster W. B. Wilcox, U. S. N.,in the mterior of the north- 
ern part of the island of Luzon. 

3949-2 . ' 



18 

The president of the so-called republic was general of the army and had at 
his command all the forces of the state, while military officers filled the high 
positions throughout the provinces. It was continually asserted by those in 
i power that this disposition of the control of affairs had been resorted to 
merely to tide over tlie existing emergency and that it should continue only 
until the establishment of a permanent peace. As long as it remained in 
force, however, the concentration of power was absolute, and, moreover, no 
change of government could be contemplated without the cooperation of the 
controlling class. In the event of peace the population hoped to see the reins 
of government placed in their hands, but if opposition were offered, they cer- 
tainly had not the i)Ower to seize them. The military class controlled the 
situation, and with it, in great measure, the destiny of the people. Accord- 
ingly as they were actuated by motives of patriotism or of personal ambition 
they could, "if unmolested, inaugurate a just and liberal government or they 
could set upon the galled shoulders of their race a yoke as cruel as that they 
had just cast oft". 

It will never be known how they would have stood this crucial test. The 

peace they had anticipated is further from them now than ever, and it has 

been decreed that a stronger power should relieve them of the responsibility 

of the vital decision. Yet they have not been deprived of importance. They 

still retain the oflftcial voice of their people, and it is with them that our 

nation is now at war. / In view of their preeminent position in Luzon affairs, 

/ past, present, and future, some interest must attach to every observation 

/ of their character, especially to such as tend to show to what extent they 

/ represent the feelings and aspirations of the great mass of the Filipino pop- 

( ulation, and in what measure they have at heart the truest interests of their 

\ race. / 

The leaders of the military element have been drawn, almost without ex- 
ception, from the younger generation of that enlightened class of Filipinos, 
of which I have spoken in a previous article as existing every where through- 
out Luzon Island. They posse.ss, of course, many qualities in common with 
their older kinsfolk, in whose charge they have been reared: and yet they 
differ from them so significantly on many points as to deserve particular at- 
tention. The characters of men are not set to such rigid lines as to remain 
unchanged by the sudden attainment of authority, and the Filipino, like his 
brother of every other land, assumes a new demeanor with his uniform of 
office. 

Throughout the period of my association with both classes I found the dis- 
tinction apparent between civilians and military officers. Had Mr. Wilcox 
and I been provided for our journey with the customary credentials required 
of travelers in that country many of the evidences of this difference wliich 
came to our notice would have been missing. Starting without passports, 
however (in fact, after having been refused them by Aguinaldoi, our status 
was .such as to invite all possible arrogance on the part of the officials, while 
throwing the most favorable light upon the open hospitality of the citizens. 
Under the circumstances I am inclined to think that there was a surprising 
lack of arrogance in the attitude which the officials assumed toward us. Yet 
there was a dignity in their bearing, and in some cases a coldness, caused by 
their suspicions of the motive of our journey, which were entirely lacking in 
their civilian countrymen. "Armor is heavy, but it is a proud burden, and 
a man staudeth straight in it." So these young Filipinos, vested with the 
authority of their office and supporting the responsibility of their duty to- 
ward the state, assumed a manlier and more independent bearing than the 
genial and conciliatory one of the older men. 

In the opposition which they frequently offered to our plans we found much 
that was inconvenient, butnothing that was unreasonable from their point of 
view. We found them Imrd to cajole, or to " bluff," or to move by any means 
other than a fair and oi^efr's'tatement which they could clearly understand. 
Before the end of the journey we came to regard the military Filipino as the 
only stumbling block to our progress. And yet. in spite of the annoyance he 
caused us and of the frequent changes in our itinerary induced by his per- 
sistent opposition, weJearned to ajmireiiim^far beyond his simpler and more 
amiable countrymen. " '., ^\ , -. ..i -, ,.■ 

It could easily be seen that we did not control a monopoly of the admiration 
expended on this subject. The older men looked with manifest pride on the 
evidences of the firm purpose and quick decision of their sons and nephews, 
even while endeavoring, in many instances, to mollify the rigor of their meth- 
ods; and the young officers themselves evinced great complacency when they 
dwelt upon the subject of their past achievements in the field and of the effi- 
ciency of their subsequent administration of affairs. The experience through 
; which they had pas.sed had imparted to their character a respect for their 
own abiiit'y and confidence in their own resources that is woefully lacking in 
the untried Filipino. , , , . , , x, 

Prior to my departure from Manila 1 had witnessed many examples or 
this deficiency in the national character, and had considered tbem of con- 
3919 



19 

events even tlien occm i n^^^^^ 1 eing rapidly inculcated by the first phases 
rf^?rat'^Si-ien^cf trwrose's^ ha^d c.lsulered their presence mdxs- 

P^mher nnalities than these, moreover, are wakening from a dormant state. 

E^^^rlSr^Lgrat^cen^ 

fclion, the native dispayea in an ^ ^^ permanent good 

less perseveranc^. His e?"|*^fi^Yi^om ev.-n the most continued endeavor, 



population, undertook to proceed with Ins troop^ to a n«^>;^^lo^ ' »^^^^ 

patriots. Lieutenant Na\;arro. is one of the yei > tew omcei |^u 
whorepreseTvTEMinore ignorant class of the Popnla""';'-.,,^! account at the 
Spanish, nor read nor write his own language, and on that a ine 

time of our visit, had not risen above the rank "f lieutenant. 
, In many of the provinces tho revolution received its stai 
, ments of Aguinaldo^s expeditionary forces, which were ^^^'^^-.-r^-C^—l^. 
f?om the mfere populous districts on the western coast Jhe^e cktachments 
to some cases mere squa^Js-performed most remarkable 



me of our visit, had not risen anove tne rauK "^."^XTtT^tMrt from detach- 
In many of the provinces tho revolution received its start tiomaetacn 
tents of Aguinaldo^s expeditionary forces, which were f en ^^aci oss t no ismnu 



20 

natives, upon the success of their own first operations against the sup(!rior 
force of the enemy. Of these expeditions, one of the most noteworthy was 
that sent from North Ilocos overland to Cagayan. The mountains lying be- 
tween these provinces are generally considered impassalile on account oi: the 
absence of beaten paths and of the presence of one of the most formidable 
tribes of Igorrotes on the island. The expeditionary force, however— about 
forty strong— succeeded in accomplishing the journey after five days of con- 
stant effort and hardships, and arrived at Aparri in an exhausted condition, 
but with undaunted spirit. 

Thi' Filipinos have a national weapon with which they claim to have won 
their independence from Spain. This is the bola or native knife. It is used 
in times of peace for all conceivable purposes, and through constant practice 
is handled with the utmost dexterity. It is as much a part of the Filipino of 
the provinces as a .iackknife was of the old-time sailor. When traveling even 
for ver5' short distances, or when working where the bola is likely to be of 
service, the native carries it slung on his belt and shoved around behind him, 
so as not to interfere with his movements. It has no deflnit(4y fixed size or 
shape, but the commonest type applied to the purposes of war is about 2i feet 
long, including the handle, and has a broad, thick blade, with the weight and 
edge of a guillotine. The effect of such a weapon in hands thoroughly trained 
in its use can be imagined. At the time of our journey the Filipinos had abso- 
lute confidence in it, and claimed that no other weapon could withstand it. 
When wielded in the mad fury of a charge, its effects were certainly terri- 
ble. Not only were heads shorn off at a stroke, but bodies were severed 
through the trunk from shoulder to hip: and rifies held in a position of de- 
fense were cut through the barrels and the skulls beneath were split down 
to the chin. TJLie native officers relied almost entirely upon these "bola 
charges " for the defeat of their Spanish foes. When tlie call to charge was 
sounded, the entire force, including the highest officers, discarded all other 
weapons and charged the enemy, bola in hand. 

'"" 'After the suciessful termination of the rebellion, all the insurgent officers 
provided themselves with sabers an<i revolvers from the supply captured 
from the Spaniards, and wore thein with great satisfaction. As far as con- 
cerned their use in warfare, however, they regarded them with contempt, 
and asserted the superiority of the bola. I could not but admit that even our 
own soldiers would have but little chance in a hand-to-hand encounter, with- 
out firearms, with an equal number of natives armed with their favorite 
weapon: but I was also well aware that with revolvers they could defeat a 
large attacking party. I argued the point uiiavailingly with Aguinaldo's 
officers, however, and only succeeded in tainting my own reputation for 
veracity by relating the following incident in support of my assertions: 

An American soldier on guard duty in Manila was suddenly attacked and 
struck to the ground by a Filipino desperado, who then took to his heels. The 
soldier, without attempting to rise, drew his revolver and emptied the 
chambers at the fieeing figure. When the native's body was examined all 
the bullets expended were accounted for: one had shattered his ankle, an- 
other was imbedded in his thigh, three were responsible for wounds in the 
trunk, and the sixth had pierced his skull. This was an actual occurrence, 
and I believe that the Filipino soldiery could now be easily convinced of its 
truth when supported by other evidences of good marksman.ship that have 
undoubtedly come to their notice. Tiie reason for their original incre- 
dulity could easily be understood, however, after an examination of the 
revolvers with which they were provided. These were miserable imitations 
of the Smith A.- Wfsson revolver, and bore on the back of the barrel the name 
of the makers, garbled into "Smit & Wilson.' No part of their action was 
perfected; the cartridge frequently failed to come in line with the hammer, 
and .")0 per cent is a fiiir estimate of the misfires. 

At the time of our journey the patriotic enthusiasm of the population was 
everywhere at its height. The boast of every inhabitant was the national 
army whose organization was then being rapidly i)erfeeted. Commissions 
were eagerly sought by the young men of the higher class, and there were 
more volunteers for service in the ranks than cnuid be armed or uniformed. 

It was universally asserted that every preparation should be made to de- 
fend the newly won independence of the island against all foreign aggres- 
sion. The older Filii)iii()s, especially those of wealth and influence, declared 
their desii-e to give every support in their power to the cause, and were as 
much a part of the warlike movement as those who actually took up arms. 
The great majority of the latter, both officers and enlisted men, were ex- 
tremely young. I have met a brigadier-general of 21 years of age. many cap- 
tains of 18, and lieutenants of 15 and 1(5. Captain Natioidad. a particularly 
young officer of that rank and a member of aprnminent Luzon family, ex- 
plained that it was the aim of his government to rest its defense in the field 
in the hands of those of its supporters who were at that age that is most 
forciV)ly swayed by the love of military glory. For the desperate encounters 
3949 



21 

that might await its army in the future it desired that sort of valor of whith 
discretion is not the better part. 

That the civil power should be placed in the same hands was a dangerousex- 
periment, but at the same time a necessary one. The first object of the Filipi- 
nos had been to win their independence; the next was to defend it. For both 
these purposes they had need of their best fighting material, and the selec- 
tion was made accordingly. The result proved more fortunate than there 
had been any reason to hope. While exercising absolute authority through- 
out the island and governing entirely by military law. the leaders of the 
army appeared, nevertheless, to endeavor to mete out justice to all classes 
alike. Thoy continued, moreover, to assert their intention to relinquish 
their temporary power when the establishment of a permanent peace should 
make such a step possible, and gave most encouraging proofs of the good 
faith with which they spoke. 

A tendency was apparent in many individual instances to treat the entire 
civilian population with contempt, and the lower element of it with oppres- 
sion and abuse. In one or two districts through which we passed this spirit 
was particularly marked, but it was not countenanced as a rule, and had been 
made the subject of a special order from the authorities at Malolos. On the 
whole, as far as I could judge, the tendency was upward. The young officers 
displayed an earnest desire to improve their minds for the benefit of the State, 
and seemed to be impelled by the ambition to prove themselves worthy of 
the trust that had been confided in them. 

I passed one evening about the middle of last November in the " Comman- 
dancia" at San Fernando, in the province of Union, where were quartered 
over forty officers belonging either to companies stationed at the town or to the 
staflf of General Fiiia, the commander of the northwestern district. Our con- 
versation was confined, as u.sual. to a great extent to professional subjects; 
but I remember the visit particularly on account of the presence of a num- 
ber of Spanish text-books on infantry tactics which were distributed among 
the officers and were evidently in almost constant service. * * * How many 
of these eager young students of the rudiments of military science have since 
learned the final lesson of war? 

[From The Independent, September 14, 1899.] 

IN THE HEART OF LUZON. 

[By Paymaster W. B. Wilcox, United States Navy.] 
No doubt it is a misfortune that the Filipino does not understand Ameri- 
can valor, and I dare say it is equally unpleasant that the avei-age American 
does not know the true character of the natives of the Philippine Islands. 
Diplomacy could do much, and justice as we claim for ourselves could do 
more. 

1 was fortunate in being allowed bv Admiral Dewey to make a long journey 
through the Island of Luzon; in fact, I covered the whole northern portion 
from Manila to Aparri with the then Naval Cadet Sargent, and in no coun- 
try have I been treated with more kindly hospitality. 

We started with eight horses and five servants and came to Bayambang, 
where we spent Sunday at the house of Mr. Clark, an Englishman, and were 
entertained in a thoroughly English country gentleman's way. The next 
day we limbered up and made the fir.st stage to Rosales and pitched our tents 
on the bank of the Rio Aritao. That evening the presidente local sent a man 
to invite us to the convento, but I said we were settled for the night, our 
horses tethered, and prepared to remain until next morning. We rode into 
this town and were received with the band playing and given a most welcome 
reception. Soon after we saddled up and proceeded to the next stage. The 
towns passed were all in gala attire, having known from couriers that we 
were coming. Nothing occurred until the journey from San Jose to Puncan 
was undertaken, and that was almost the hardest of the whole trip. Horses 
were of no use, we engaged bagadores to carry our outfit, and I must say if 
we could have traveled as fast as these men. with- packs of nearly 70 pounds 
each, in the driving rain, we would have reached Puncan early in the after- 
noon. But horses can not compete with muscular men in the long run. Ar- 
riving at the river Carranglan, swollen from heavy rains, our men said it was 
impossible to cross; but Mr. Sargent plunged his horse into the raging stream 
and reached the other bank. The natives followed. I was left as the only one. 
We had brought several hundred fathoms of small rope for just such purposes, 
and I suggested tying this to a tree and bringing the end to me to tie aroimd 
my waist, and thus swim over the stream. The current was running ti miles 
an hour. The plan was partly carried out, but in bringing the rope across 
the line parted, and Sargent, who had the end, went under the stream and we 
never expected to see him again. Finally I got oyer. In all towns the best 
the Filipinos had was given us and not a cent would be accepted in payment. 



22 

From Puncan the next important stop was at the river Carranglan, which 
■was roaring so hard it made it impossible to cross at night, and we pitclied 
our tents on the bank. The major-domo of the party said there were nuiner- 
ous caymans (alligators) and they would crawl up and eat us and our horses 
some time during the night. So he kept firing guns and was awake all night. 
He coiild imagine the 30-foot alligator walking away with a hor.se and a tent 
and all contents, though we had about forty uaen all told and many guns. 

Passing over much that occurred, we reached the foot of the Carabello 
Mountains, which began the hardest of all the journey. 

After many weary hours I, who was carrying '2M pounds, finally reached 
the summit at the altitude of 3,(HM» feet. 

On reaching Aritao the presidente local put us up in an old convent and 
his band serenaded us at night, and in the morning everywhere the same 
generous kindness was shown. Our next stop was at Banibang, »7here the 
nephew of Aguinaldo met us some distance out of town, guns firing and 
convent bells ringing. In the evening a fine orchestra was stationed in the 
hall and lulled two sleepy Americans to rest in sweetest strains, tor almost all 
Filipinos can play some sort of music. In leaving this spot we were accom- 
panied bj; soldiers as usual, and by Aguinaldo himself, to Bayombong. capital of 
the province of Nueva Vizcaya. i was met at the bank" of the river by the 
presidente local, and we rode into town amid flags flying and the band playing 
and were taken to the municipal building. In this far-away town of Luzon I 
met the most intelligent man, a lawyer by profession, an educated man, and 
his theory of the future of his country appealed tome as quite the proper solu- 
tion; what he wanted was free public schools in every village and town, 
where English would be taught and where the children would soon have 
wiped out from their curriculum all the Spanish form of government and 
all the Spanish customs that have brought devastation to their homes; as 
prostituting all the virtues of a people who want their homes protected and 
to live in qi^ietness and peace where their daily earnings will not be filched 
from them by ths ingenious methods only known to the hidalgo Espanol and 
the man whom he employs for purpose of the basest robbery. 

From this place our next important stop was Iligan, the capital of the 
province of Isabella, where millions of dollar^.come in annually to ijurchase 
the product of tobacco which is grown in this, perhaps the most fertile prov- 
ince in the whole of Luzon. 

On our first night in this inland capital we were given a dance at which 
fifty well-dressed young ladies and the same number of gentlemen attended. 
I was sorry, indeed, I had not my dress suit. One young lady with whom I 
danced had a splendid gown of rare silk handsomely embroidered, and she 
danced, I confess, better than I; she was a fine player on the piano and sang 
many songs for us. The next night a theater was given, and the playei's 
were quite as good as in some shows in a more pretentious country. 

From Aparri we took steamer to the west coast, and then by horse and va- 
rious other means made our way to Dagupan and Manila, after a month and 
a half of most delightful experiences. 

The resources of the country can hardly be estimated, but it must have 
peace and, still more important, transportation, railroads, and means of get- 
ting the product of the soil to ready market. 

Public schools will do more for the civilization of the island of Luzon than 
bayonets, and in a few years the Filipino children, who are now most anxious 
to learn the English language, will be the producers of shiploads of prod- 
ucts of the most fertile soil in a tropical latitude and make an empire in the 
Orient of which not only ourselves but the Filipino will be justly proud. 

Wo must first destroy all vestige of the Spanish ideas and have one lan- 
guage for all the island. As it is now a man of one province can not under- 
stand the language of his neighbor, living across the lino within a few hundred 
yards. 

When the Filipino can see the benefit of honorable treatment and that 
justice will be dispensed without favor, he wiU come into the fold and be a 
citizen not to be ashamed of. 

IN AGUINALDO'S REALM. 

[By Ensign L. R. Sargent, United States Navy.] 
In the early part of October, 1S98, Paymaster Wilcox, United States Navy, 
and I obtained from Admiral Dewey leave of absence from our duties on board 
the U. S. S. Monadnock for the purpose of making a tour of observation 
through the northern part of the islaivl of Luzon. Our original plans were 
of a very indefinite nature, being merely to proceed as far to the northward 
as the character of the country and the "attitude of the natives would permit 
and to return only when forced to do so. The existing ignorance of the con- 
ditions prevailing in the interior gave rise to a very exaggerated idea of the 
diflSculties of such a journey. 

Had it been suggested at any time prior to our departure that we could 



23 



iiSiiliii^ll 

°* ThiV^oadled us almost due east through the low and "^^rf ^ P^/j^^e ^^ 
XT ■c'^tlc. ThP Taiiw season at this time was at its height, and tor te^ en 

?e£K'°str°'.£'sffsrprf;?e5^ 

not be endured with impunity and every man of \l'«',.^,^J/> :f„^*^^„®/eU7 th^ 
American, showed the effect of this treatment Fo\™^!S' ^e^er^tn oiir 
traveling from this point on became easier, and ^^ ^ we e able, eyei m oxir 
somewhSt weakened condition, totravel at amore i-aPl^ V^.^^/^^i^^/^' ?f^^^^ 
Our arrival at Carranglan marked the end of one distinct stage otoui oour 
~ ney, andTfui^departurl therefrom marked the beginning of a second. 



24 

Up to this time the obstacles encountered had been natural ones— bad roads 
and swollen rivers. The province of Nueva Ecija is an important one from 
a military standpoint. Its towns at that time were garrisoned by small 
squads of soldiers, commanded by noncommissioned officers, and we met no 
one who felt it incumbent upon himself to make any determined opposition 
to our progress, although many expressed surprise at our lack of the custom- 
ary passports. From Carranglau on through the province of Nueva Viz- 
caya we met with more varying fortunes, experiencing the coldest suspicion 
as well as the most demonstrative hospitality, being greeted at one town by 
the ringing of church bells and the music of the band and at the next by the 
critical cross-questioning of the local authorities. At Bayom bong, the capital 
of theprovince, we were stopped for several hours by the mihtary officer sta- 
tioned there. After ridiculing the whole idea of pas.sports, and giving this 
officer some good advice on the manner of conducting a republican form of 
government, we succeeded in obtaining his permission to proceed. 

At an elevation of four or five hundred meters above the sea level, with 
firm roads and a cordial sun, traveling became the greatest of pleasures. No 
matter what the attitude of the military officers in the different towns might 
be, we were invariably made welcome by the citizens. 

The larger towns at which we spent the night gave balls in our honor, while 
the smaller oi:j^s, with the village band and native dancing, gave what enter- 
tainment they couW improvise— often the most enjoyable. While the towns 
of this province are larger and more pretentious than those of Nueva Ecija, 
they are situated farther apart and are more completely isolated one from 
another. The forests between are inhabited by tribes of "igorrotes, who are 
a constant menace to travelers. On one road over which we passed a party 
of 20 Filipinos had been murdered to a man only a few days before our 
arrival. The character of the country offers every opportunity for such 
savage attack, the trail frequently leading through thick forests or plains of 
rank grass meeting overhead. Although we considered our party strong 
enough for its own protection, we were usually provided with an escort of 
Filipino soldiers. 

Frequently we were joined by natives who had been awaiting an oppor- 
tunity to go from one town to another in safety, bringing the number of our 
party at one time up to forty-seven. Often from the high points on the mad 
we could see the smoke of at least one Igorrote camp fire, frequently within 
a few miles of a large Filipino town. There can hardly be any direct method 
of attack again.st these savages, since they build no villages and have a vast, 
wilderness for refuge: but at the time of our visit the Filipinos had already 
begun to build small forts at the points most frequently subject to their 
menaces— a step in advance of any the Spaniards had taken. 

At the town of C'arig, near the frontier of the province of Isabella, we en- 
countered Major Villa, the military governor of the province, who had been 
sent from his capital city by his superior officer. Colonel Tirona, the com- 
mander of the northeastern military district, to demand our passports, and, 
if we did not have them, to examine into the purpose of our expedition. In 
carrying out his orders this officer kept us for seven days quartered in a de- 
serted convent in this miserable village. At the end of that time, by the per- 
mission of Colonel Tirona, with whom we had succeeded in opening direct 
communication, we were allowed to proceed. 

A few miles from Carig we reached the Rio Grande de Cagayan, down 
which we descended in canoes to its mouth. We spent two days at Iligan, 
the capital of the province of Isabella, and three at Aparri, the only seaport 
on the northern coast of the island, towns having a population of about 
15,000 each. We were extremely well entertained. At Iligan a large ball was 
given in our honor, and two Spanish operas were presented by the young 
people of the town. From this performance we received most pleasing proof 
of tbo humor, intelligence, and refinement of our entertainers. 

^t the towns we had previou.sly visited we had occasionally seen numer- 
ous Spanish prisoners, all of whom were apparently enjoying full liberty 
within the limits of the town. At Iligan we saw Spanish soldiers and ex-civil 
officials in the same status; imt the priests had been differently dealt with; 
they were too dangerous to be left at large, we were told, and were accord- 
ingly confined in a convent. We saw them one morning, to the number of 
84, lined up in the street in charge of a squad of Filipino soldiers. 

At Aparri I witnessed a ceremony which, at the time, I considered preg- 
nant with significance, and I have seen no reason since for changing my opin- 
ion. During our entire journey we had noticed the existence of a distinct 
civil and military government. The civil government was simple and effi- 
cient, consisting of four officials for each province and four for each town. 
The military government consisted of an officer in command of a military- 
district, having under his orders one officer as military governor of each, 
province and one as governor of each important town. The military gov- 
ernment was the dominant one. We remarked on this condition several 
times, and were told that it would last only during a state of war.; At Aparri 
3949 



25 



we received proof of the sincerity of this statement. Word had ^l?^^ ^^e- 
ceived from Hongkong that our commissioners at Paris, negotiatmg the 
terms of the treaty of peace, had plainly mdicated that it was their in- 
tention not to return the islands to Spam. Relieved from their great ap- 
prehension of this action, the Filipino population began at once to see rosy 
visions of peace descending on their war-torn country. Steps were im- 
mediately taken to adjust existing conditions to the new state of things. 
Colonel Tiroua, the governor of the northeastern military district, took 
the lead by relinquishing the control of affairs in tne provinces comprised 
in his district in favor of a civil official chosen by the people. .1 was pres- 
ent at the impressive ceremony which solemnized t^is chanp in the pi ov- 
ince of Cagayan. The ceremony took place in the cathedral at Af arri and 
walattendea by all the local officials of the towns of the province, as well 
as by any military officers that could be spared from their duties Colonel 
Tirona placed theusual insignia of offlce-a gold-headed cane-m the hands 
of the governor-elect at the close of a short speech m which he said that 
now thf t a state of peace seemed probable he desired to divest hmaself of the 
unusual authority that it had been necessary for him temporarily to exer- 
cise and to assume his proper position as a servant-not a ruler-ot the peo- 
ple The governor, in reply, expressed his thanks to the Colonel and to all 
Sf the expeditionary forces t-or the incalculable .service they had remlered the 
Tiemileof the province in freeing them from Spanish rule and declared the 
puSse of the people to expend the la-t drop of their.blood, if necessary, in 
defending the liberty thus gained against the encrosichments of any nation 
■ what^eTer The governor then took the oath of office, being followed m 
ton by each of the three other provincial officials, the^ heads of the depart- 
ments of iiistice. revenue, and tke police. It was the Colone Vs intention to 
™ave a similar ceremony performed in each of the other provinces under his 
control? Had the Filipino government been allowed to work out its own 
salvation, this movemeait could hardly have failed to become historical. 

At Aparri we saw proof also of the extent of Aguinaldo s authority. Four 
natives had been tried for robbery and attempted murder and had been sen- 
tenced to death At the time of our visit they were awaiting the arrival 
from Malolos of the ratification of their sentence by tlie president 

Everywhere we traveled the greatest loyalty toward Aguinaldo was ex- 
preslla Vsw, at the time of 1.1s reverses, it is possible, though I am far 
from convinced, that he represents but one element of his people, then, in 
his prosperity, he certainly Vepresented them aH-at least in northern Liizon. 
At that time the enthusiasm of the people was tuned to the jiiglie^t \ntch 
111 every village every man was training m arms. Companies were foiined 
of Vovs from 8 vears of age upward. Wooden guns were furnished them, 
and tLywe'^e dinned sy.stema'iically everyday T^ie women ako were i^^ 
bued with the spirit. Many and many a time have the People of a village 
eathered in the large room of the "presidencia, ' where the paj mastei ana 
fwere quartered fnd put their whole hearts into the ^ongs in which their 
patriotism found vent. Of these songs the national hymn was the favoiite, 
and no one within hearing ever failed to 3oin in the chorus: 

Del sueiio de tres Siglos 
Hermanos de.spertad! 
/ Gritando, " Fuera Espaiial 
Viva la libertadl " 

(From your sleep of three centuries 

Brothers awake ! 
Crying, "Away with Spain! 

Live liberty 1") 

After a delav of three days we were fortunate enough to catch a small 
CotS\teamer° which' too^ us around the "-thern end o the island and 
landed us on the western coast at the northern end ot tne pio\ince oi 
kSi Ilocos ProrThere we proceeded toward Manila. We wished to visit 
the interior provinces on this side of the island, but were prevented by the 
authorities ^ilready the hope was fading that freedom from Spain meant 
freedom of goveinmlnt. Th^ feeling toward Americans was changing, and 
we saw its Iffect in the colder manner of the people and in their evident ae 
sire to hustle us along by the most direct road to Mam a. ,, treated 

Although the spirit was evidently missing, we y":<^,^7™f '^XX^'^^le 
with pverv distinction A mounted escort was furnished us, wmcn loae 
Thead wfth guidons tS clear the road. The towns m these weste^^^^ 
provinces are larger and more numerous than ^^ose in the v^tlley ot tu e Kio 
Grande. The military element is much more in evidence a.s well as tne 
TiatU'e relieious element, which has succeeded the Spanish priests. At 
vUan the fai^tal of South Ilocos, we dined with twenty-eight i^\itary offl^ 
ceS, and at San Fernando, the capital of Union, with forty. All of these 



3949 



26 

officers are very young, a large proportion being minors. General Tino, 
commanding the northeastern military district, is just 21. Captain Nativ- 
idad, the commander of three important towns with an aggregate ]>()pulation 
of over -iO,*!*!, is 18 years old, while his younger brother, who bears a com- 
mission as lieutenant, is but 1<5. His elder brother, with the rank of lieu- 
tenant-general, was next in command to Agiiinaldo at the age of 28 when he 
fell in action in the revolution of 1890. 

In the latter part of November Paymaster Wilcox and I returned to 
Manila. A few minutes after our arrival I attempted to engage the services 
of a Filipino coachman, and found him stubborn and insolent almost beyond 
belief. I thought of the courteous gentleman and respectful servant I had 
met in ftie interior and wondered where among them I should class this 
brute. Yet they are all three one; and together they make up the Filipino. 
Good treatment makes of him the respectful servant, education makes of him 
a gentleman that no man need be ashamed to greet: but anything that he in- 
terprets as injustice arouses something in his nature that makes of him a 
stubborn and intractable brute. If all were known about the Filipino, pub- 
lic sentiment toward him, while it might not be changed, would at least be 
softened. There are qualities in him too tine to be wantonly destroyed. If 
the brute must be broXen, let us hope that the respectful servant and the 
gentleman will be encouraged. 

Report, of Tour Through Island of Luzon. 

Manila, P. I. , November S3, 1898. 
Sir: 1. In obedience to your order, we herewith submit a report of the 
tour of observation of the northern part of the island of Luzon, undertakea 
by your authority during a leave of absence beginning October 5, 1898. 

2. Paymaster W. B. Wilcox was detained by duty on board the U. S. S. 
Monaclnock until October 6, Naval Cadet L. R. Sargent leaving on the otb. 
Preparations tor the journey were immediately begun, and were completed 
by the evening of October 7. From the experience of certain American offi- 
cers we had learned that it was necessary, in order to pass through the lines 
of the Philippine forces, to obtain permission from their leader, Senor Emilio 
Aguinaldo. To comply with this form. Naval Cadet Sargent visited Aguinaldo 
at his official residence in the town of Malolos. Leaving Manila by train at 
noon, October 7, he arrived at his destination shortly after 2 o'clock. Seiior 
Aguinaldo at this time was attending a meeting of the Philippine cabinet, and 
our request for passports through his troops in the northern provinces was 
taken to him by his aid-de-camp, Seiior C. C. Zealcita. In making this re- 
quest we stated our rank as naval officers and the object of our proposed 
journey as a desire to acquire information with regard to this country, at 

g resent almost unknown to Americans. Senor Aguinaldo sent out word by 
is aid-de-camp tliat he was too busily engaged that day to provide the 
passes, and, furthermore, that a member of our party coming later to request 
them should be expected to have a letter from either Admiral Dewey, Gen- 
eral Otis, or General Mac Arthur. 

3. Naval Cadet Sargent returned to Manila by the evening train. The flag- 
ship Ob/mpia being at Cavite, to have requested a letter from the commander 
in chief would have caused a delay of at least one day. Botn meml)ers of our 
party being acquainted with General MacArthur, the circumstances were 
explained to him and a letter obtained on the evening of the 1st to Malolos. 
This letter was addressed "' to whom it may concern," and was a mere state- 
ment that the officers presenting it wished to visit the northern provinces of 
the island and desired passports through the Philippine forces. It gave the 
itinerary of the proposed journey. Tlie next morning, October 8, we also 
obtained from Consul-General Williams a personal letter to Senor Aguinaldo, 
requesting that passports be provided us. 

4. At noon of this day, October 8, we left Manila by train with five servants, 
eight horses, and between three and four hundred pounds of baggage, includ- 
ing a camp outfit, two rifles, and a shotgun, with ammunition. Paymaster 
Wilcox, in charge of the expedition, went on to Bayambang that night, while 
Naval Cadet Sargent left the train at Malolos to present our letters to Seiior 
Aguinaldo. As on the day before, our request was taken in by Seiior Zeal- 
cita. After a delay of about two hours Senor Aguinaldo's answer was brought 
out. It was to the effect that he declined to assume the responsibility of pro- 
viding tis with pas.sports to travel in the provinces we wished to visit. Ru- 
mors had just been received of an insurrection, instigated by a Spanish bishop, 
in the northern provinces, on the western coast, and he could not tell how 
far an insurrection thus started might spread. While his authority was thus 
menaced he refused to provide us with papers that would make him respon- 
sible for our safety, while they might not protect us from illtreatment. He 
also refused a second request to furnish us passjiorts specifically addressed 
to those soldiers only that were loyal to his command and stating that we 
traveled at our own risk. Through his aid-de-camp, however, he gave us 
3949 



27 



the repeated and positive assurance that we were free to prosecute our joui - 
nplwFthoutimssesfrom him, and that we should encounter no opposition 
froVhis forces ™s oral premise was the only substitute that we were able 
to obtain for the formal palsports that it has been the custom of the country 

^^r*#avaVcadXsargenUe17Slt by the first train ne.t morning, Octo- 
ber 9 and l^ined Paymaster Wilcox at Bayambang. At this town we re- 
mained at tSouse of Mr. Donald Clark, an Englishman, superintendent of 
Trice ntillsHuated there. Here we made final preparations for an early 
Lo-ning"start on horseback the next day Thf evening two Americans 
cLme to Mr Clark^s house and requested shelter for the night, iney uaa 
^n^ebv train that morning to Dagupan, the northern terminus of the rail- 
wav hTtendhig to spend the night there. A squad of Philippine soldiers at 
tvfp^T^alwav station however, had demanded of them passes signed by.S^enor 
Agu^naldo^ For want of them they were compelled to. remain withm the 
stItYon until the departure of the next train south which tram they were 
renui^ed to board This train remained for the night at Bayambang. This 
evidence of the attitude of the Philip].ine troops toward travelers increased 
our feail that our progress would be opposed at the first town on our route 
Through the influence of Mr. Clark we obtained from the " presidents local '' 
of the town of Bayambang a letter to the " Pres^dente local "of th^^^^^^ 
Ro^ales the first town of importance on our route. This lettei merely re 
nulsted that we be allowed to continue our journey through that twn 
^ K At davli-ht next morning, October 10, we left Bayambang and took the 
road for Rosales. We reached that town just before sundown and pitched 
our tent on the bank of the river Agno, outside the limits of the town For 
?he first 5 or. miles from Bayambang we found the roads m £ood condition 
and traveled with ease. Nearer to Rosales the roads were deep with mud 
and covered with water in places. We were forced to go on o^t th^ g^'f ^^J^ 
mrt of the distance, men and horses having great diftieulty in making their 
way About 11 o'clock in the morning we passed through the small town of 
ffila There were 13 soldiers stationedat this town in charge of a seigeiin^^ 
Thev were armed with Remington rifles. We were met by the civil authoi i- 
ties and were surrounded by the people. Much curiosity was expressed in 
relard to our outflrbut t Jas of a harmless and friendly nature. No sus- 
picion wLexc-Ued and passports were not mentioned. The soldiers did not 

^n^Between Ale ia an'd Solales we passed from the province of Pangasinan 
tothat o^Nifeta Icija. The province of Pangasinan is not touched "pon m 
this leporrsfnce except for the few miles traveled on the morning of Octo- 
ber 10, we traversed it only by rail. 

8 We were visited shortly after dark at our camp near Rosales by a mes- 
sengeT from the presidente local of that town with an invitation to pass the 
night at the government building or "presidencia ;^t.?,^® ^j'^f^.^'tiSl 
nniiacked we decided to remain in camp. We sent back to the pie^sidente 
rocafbv his^nesse iger the letter we had obtained from the presidente local 
atXvambang We were visited during the evening by.many natives from 
the town among them several civil officials. No soldiers came near the 
camj The next^morSng, October 11, we continued our journey reaching 
Rosales in a few minutes. We visited the "presidencia," where we weie 
met by the presidente local an.l all other natives « ,'=«"f,^^l"^"^« !? 
We were allowed to proceed without protest, although sui pi ise was ex 
TO-lssld that we had not obtained written passports from tte Philippine gov- 
frnSlnt There were about 20 soldiers in this town, armed, as before, with 
Remington rifles and commanded by a sergeant. We were detained at 
Kief only a short time and then took the road for Humingam 

9. From Ro.^alesto Humingan, and thence to ^f\ii J°^^, ^ui experienc^^^ 
travel were much the same as those already described. The load led thiou^h 
the low rice region of the province of ^iievalcijaL^ rained almos^c^^^ 
c+Qiitlv anrl the roads were nearly impassable. We went on root muou oi 

rdi'iknce.'Tleplclhprses^ 
forced to engage natives to relieve them. Labor was cheap, i en men couiQ 
usuallv be ehglged for a day for the sum of S3 in silver, or less than 10 cents 
L gold per mim Wo traveled slowly over this distance, the labor of walk- 
tog" through the mud, frequently over our knees, being excessrv e^ The 
horses erew poor rapidly and we were forced to husband then strengtn. 
Thev wlrlTc?as/onany prostrated in the road and our progress was decayed 
until thev could recover their strength. Moreover, we could beldom find 
p?oir fold ?or them at night. As many as three at a time were unable to 
parrv anv weieht for sevoral days. One servant became ill. and was leic at 
a viUage Thirest of the party retahied their health, with the exception of 
ocT-asifnal cases of diarrhea and consequent sickness at the stomach, which 
SofprevTnt travebng Oui to during this period consisted of bacon and 
hardtack which we had'brought with us, and chickens and nee which we 
obtained from the natives. The cooking was done by our own servant. 



3919 



28 

10. Through this part of the province of Nueva Icija almost the only form 
of agriculture encouraged at present by the natives is rice growing. A lit- 
tle sugar is also raised. The land is very rich; we encountered no barren or 
unfertile spots. The fields at this season of the year are several inches 
deep with water. There is no timber of value along the direct line of our 
route, but in the hills along the River Agno forests could be seen. We passed 
through similar forests later, which will be treated in their turn. The for- 
ests in this district, however, are nearer to a market. There are very few 
horses and practically no cattle. There are a great number of buffalo, and 
these are of extreme utility. The principal labor of the natives at this .sea- 
son is the thrashing of rice. This is done very primitively with implements 
that resemble on a large scale the pestle and mortar of a chemist. The mor- 
tar is replaced by a section of a log of hard wood hollowed out to receive the 
grain, the pestle by a hard club from 4 to 5 feet long and about 6 inches in 
diameter at each end. This club is scraped down at the middle to the size of 
the hand. In thrashing out the rice the native stands above the mortar and 
throws his club vertically into it with one hand, catching it ixp with the other 
hand and repeating the blow, always changing hands at the bottom of the 
stroke. Ustially three or four natives beat into the same mortar and a cer- 
tain cadence is always maintained. We have even seen them accompanied 
by a musical instrument. They pursue this occupation very industriously, 
and we seldom in tbis district got beyond the muffled sound of the rice beat- 
ers. A little cotton weaving is also done here. The cotton thread is brought 
from Manila and woven on crude bamboo looms into rough cloth, used by the 
natives. 

11. In the villages of Hitmingan and Lupao there are a few Spanish pris- 
oners—priests, soldiers, and civil officials. We have seen representatives of 
each of these three classes in these towns. We could detect no signs of pre- 
vious ill treatment, nor of undue restriction. On the contrary, they appeared 
to possess the freedom of the town in which they lived. 

12. The towns in this section are neither large nor important. Humingan, 
the largest, has not over two or three thousand inhabitants. The church, 
■with the convent attached, is the largest building in each town; it is built of 
planed wood, vf hitewashed. There are three or four houses of planed wood 
in each town, the rest of the village consisting of grass huts. The presideute 
local and other local officers are native Filipinos. Most of them have re- 
ceived a certain amount of education at religious schools in Manila. They 

^are intelligent men and are extremely eager to learn news from the outside 
world. Their knowledge of modern history and geography, however, is 
extremely limited; and their ignorance of current events is surprising. We 
brought them their first definite information with regard to Cuba and to 
•their own present status. One or two of them had heard of the Congress at 
Paris; but no one had any idea as to its object, nor as to its relation to them- 
selves. They were well grounded on only three points— the destruction of 
the Spanish squadron in Manila Harbor, the surrender of Manila, and the 
declaration by the Philipnine government at Malolos of the independence of 
the islands and the establishment of a republican form of government with 
Senor Aguinaldo as president. Even on these points the details they had 
received were very inaccurate. Between the towns of Resales and Humin- 
gan there are two small villages, called barrios, varying in population from 
one to three thousand inhabitants. We were thus enabled to sleep in a hut 
over night, and avoid camping in the wet fields by the road.side. These 
barrios are under the jurisdiction of the nearest town or "pueblo." There 
were soldiers in each town, but not more than twenty in any place, and there 
was no commissioned officer in the district. We were cordially received 
everywhere, not only by the heads of the town, but also by the laboring and 
farming people, who always saluted us in a friendly manner when we passed. 
On leaving each town our interpreter was presented by the presidente local 
with passes. The.se passes always included our native servants and packmen 
and sometimes ourselves as well. They were good only to the next town, 
and secured a comparatively prompt exchange of packmen. We were never 
allowed to take any men farther than to the next town without permanently 
attaching them to our party. It is the duty of the i^residente local of each 
town to do his share in facilitating the journey of every properly accredited 
traveler. Usually the assistance brings him" in a pecuniary return. The 
duty then becomes a privilege, and is very zealously guarded. 

13. We arrived at the town of San Josis on the evening of October 14 and 
spent the night there. There was the usual guard here of between 13 and 20 
soldiers, armed with Remington rifles and commanded by a noncommi-ssioned 
officer. We had been warned by the official of the last town that San Jose 
must inevitably prove the end of our journey. There is no road for 30 miles 
beyond this point, and in this season the natives consider the trail impas- 
sable to white men. Very few of the natives themselves attempt it in the 
months of rain. We found at San Jose, however, 10 men willing to accom- 
pany us as pack bearers, and with these we started out next morning. The 

3919 



29 



trail proved to be a little better than represented. Twenty-four horn s moi e 
of rain would have made at least three mountain streams nnpassable The 
trail is moreover, extremely intricate. It leads for over half a mile along a 
shoal in^ small river, and follows the beds of different mountain streams for 
many timeTt at distance. Rushing water frequently knee deep on the 
horses covered these stretches of the trail at the tune we passed. On land 
^rassancl underbrush grow thickly over the trail and conceal it for consider- 
f blfdistanc^s Our gmde had spent his life in this district and had traveled 
the trail very often He deviated from it twice that day, however, and had 
much difficulty i^ regaining it. During the insurrection a company of bpan- 
^sold Ss had been sent over this trail. Our guide pointed out many spots 
^ere lumbers of them had been ambushed and slain. Huts that had been 
h,.m fm- sheltpr at night could frequently be seen. According to the state- 
ment of our guWe, vei?few of this SpaniJh force lived to reach the town of 
Q^iianXn It is undoubtedly a trail that a few men could hold agamst 
heavy odds;' it is the first of this nature we have seen. It is very Inl y and 
the ascentl'aie steep, crooked, and surrounded by heavy trees ^ml undei^ 
brush Numerous rapid streams were crossed during the day. the pacK 
bearers at fii-st refused to cross two streams that were deeper and more rapid 
than throthers They required both encouragement and example before 
they could be induced to make the attempt. It rained fiei-cely.aH da>^ 

U At dark we arrived at the town of Puncan. This town is the smallest 
and leistpretTntfous that we visited during our entire journey It has a 
popuUtion'^f about 3(K) inhabitants, only two or three ot whom «l«if ^^l|^,"^^h 
and these imperfectly. The presidencia is a thatched hut with onl> one 
room Ne™mai-nin^^ continued our journey with the same pack men as 
bef OTe. The piisideiite local of the town could not provide a sufficient num- 
ber and permitted this breach of etiquet. . „„ „(. 4.1,_ „,.„ 
15 The iourney of this day was a repetition of our experience of the pre- 
ceding day with the exception that the rain was neither so continuous nor 
so viofent At 3 o'clock we reached the bank of the last river that separated 
Ts f^om the foVn of Carranglan. This river, the Rio Barat was swoUen to 
«nch an ext«-nt that our horses were carried off their feet betoie tne oea oi 
the stream was reached. Not being able to get our freight across the stream 
wfth the mZans at hand, we attracted the attention of a native on the other 
bank by discharging our firearms and sent him to the town of Carranglan to 
procuilbiS for our assistance. . The ^uftalo did not arrive that evening 
however, and we spent the night in camp on the bank of t^ie 1 1^ ei Next 
mo^-nlng we found that the river had gone down consulerably. Buffalo ai^ 
Hved from the town, and with their help we crossed in safety witi all our 

^''iton the other bank we were met byalieutenant of the Phmppin^ arm^^ 
the first military officer we had seen since leaving the railroad We vv ei e 
escorted by him and his soldiers to the presidencia. The presidente lo al 
?lce ved ul rither coolly and treated us in that manner while we were his 
guests He asked us for passports from the central government, and ex- 
Esed surprise and suspicion when he learned that we nadnoue m w ■itmg^ 
He was the only civil okcer that we met until after we left Aparri that 
T^^T^rd with the mil tarv power in opposing our progress. Moreover, he was 
C only one thaTSJd to have more power and influence in his own town 
thin the military officers stationed there. The troops here consisted of « 
soMiers armed with Remington rifles and commanded by the officer we had 

^n^'we'spenTthe day at Caranglan. drying our baggage, whicli had been 

T^^^^^ ?^s sa^l ^l^SS 

to the commanding officer U. b. b. ji7o?iaa(iO'/i, lequLbniif, "^ •• „, i^ttei"; 

in chief an extension of leave of absence until November 26 Thes.U 
were given to the presidente local, who assured us that they wouia aiiive 
^^^^^^li^cS^Hext morning. The presidente local msiged^pon 

^^^SS^^?t}i?^^^^Ii7ei^^f^ 

that they we^rcrc^sedwith'ease. At the end of the .first day we camped at 
the foot of the Caraballo Sur Mountains, at an elevation of "'^^"J.fj'i V^'^^ « 



3949 



30 

covered with stone's and pebbles. At the highest point of the road, a very- 
well-defined summit, there is a stone barricade facing both slopes. This bar- 
ricade was left here by the Spanish soldiers during the insurrection. They 
were driven from it by lack of water. It is an extremely strong position. 
At a level spot on the northern slope, about 500 feet below the summit, the 
Spanish troops have built a more elaborate fortification, consisting of a Ijam- 
boo stockade incl' i.sing a rectangular barricade of stones with a small block- 
house at each end. There is a watchtower at each corner of the stockade. 
This fortification can be fired upon from above and approached from several 
directions at the same time. 

19. We arrived at Aritao shortly before sundown. A broad branch of the 
Rio Magat separated us from this town. There was a "banca"or native 
dugout canoe, however, in which men and baggage were taken to the other 
side, while the horses were swum across at a point higher up the stream. 
These facilities for crossing streams were always available when necessary 
during the remainder of our journey. In the mountains and highlands 
through v,'hich we passed in the last two or three days there are extensive 
forests. The forests are not homogeneous but contain many ditlerent classes 
of trees, the timber of which is in many cases valueless. Of the timber which 
we have seen the inost valued on the island is the "mulawe," so called both 
in Spanish and Tegala. This is a tall straight tree with very few branches; 
the bark is very light in color but the wood is very dark and close-grained 
and resists water and weather. It is much used for boats and for the floors 
and exposed uprights of houses. There is also much bamboo, some of which 
has been cut. The heavier trees are as yet unmolested. We saw no signs of 
savages nor of poisonous snakes against which we had beeikwarned by the 
natives of the district. In going from Carranglan to Aritao wi went from the 
province of Nueva Icija to that of Nueva Vizcaya. 

30. We were very cordially received by the presidente local of Aritao. On 
leaving next morning we were saluted by the music of a brass band and by 
the ringing of church bells. This precedent was followed by many of the 
towns which we \-isited in the next few days. There were about 30 soldiers 
at Aritao, but no commissioned officers. We were escorted on our journey 
by a SQuad of 6 mounted soldiers. At Dupax our escort was exchanged for a 
detail from that town. There, also, there were about 30 soldiers, commanded 
by a sergeant. Toward evening we arrived at the town of Bambang. These 
towns of Aritao, Dupax, and Bambang are much superior in size and appear- 
ance to those of Nueva Icija. These towns and those to the northward of 
them lie in the valleys of the Rio Magat and the Rio Grande de Cagayan. 
They have been .seats of Spanish authority for over a century. A telegraph 
line pre\'iously connected the towns in these valleys with Manila. This line, 
however, was torn down during the insurrection. The native officials have 
repaired it between Bayombong and Aparri, using barbed wire. They have 
been forced to leave many poles uninsulated and short circuits frequently 
occvir, especially in wet weather. The line between Bayomliong and Car- 
ranglan is still down. There are many substantial wooilen houses in each 
town. The church, with its convent, is usually built of brick and is very 
elaborate. The church at Aritao and many others date back over a hundred 
years. The native officials and leading men are better educated and better 
informed than those we had previously met. They possess, in addition, the 
same desire to improve their knowledge and the same receptivity that we 
had noticed in their countrymen. 

21. We spent the night at Bambang. The presidente local was absent, 
attending a fiesta or carnival at Ilagan. A military officer stationed here 
received us and entertained us. This othcer, Lieutenant Aguinaldo, is a 
nephew of Don Emilio. He is the first military offi<-er we have met since 
leaving Carranglan. He commands the usual force of 30 or 40 soldiers. Our 
treatment at this town was extremely friendly and cordial. 

22. We spent the night at Bambang. We were accompanied by several sol- 
diers and Lieutenant Aguinaldo. This was the first time that a commissioned 
officer had formed part of our escort. This town is the capital of th(! prov- 
ince, and has a population of about 12,000 inhabitants. At this place we met 
the first formidable opposition to our progress. A military officer of the 
rank of commandante, corresponding to the grade of major in our Army, is 
stationed at this town, and is in fact the governor of the province under the 
orders of the colonel commanding in this district. He was absent at the time 
of our arrival, attending the fiesta at Ilagan. His place was taken by the 
next military officer in rank. Lieutenant Gemenes. This officer received us 
very coldly and demanded passports. He refused to be satisfied with our 
statement of the promise we had received from Don Emilio Aguinaldo. He 
informed us that before permitting us to proceed he would require the au- 
thority of his colonel, who was then at Ilagan. He sent a telegram concern- 
ing ns to the colonel and left us to await the decision of that officer. 

23. We spent the afternoon and "night at the house of a native lawyer, 
Seiior Arriola. Our host was a very intelligent man. and we explained our 

3919 



31 

position fully to him. We told him that passports are not required of trav- 
elers in the United States nor in any other free country. This information 
seemed to surprise him very much, but he readily accepted it as an argument 
against the attitude of the local lieutenant toward us. He left us for a short 
time to speak with other men of importance in the town and to use his influ- 
ence in our favor. When he returned he assured us that we were at perfect 
liberty to travel without passes, and that the only question remaining was 
whether or not we were entitled to a military escort. As we would have 
gladly dispensed with the escort, we accepted this information as a decision 
entirely in our favor. 

24. Next morning Lieutenant Gemenes came very early to the house where 
we were entertained, to tell us that a military escort was ready to accompany 
us on our journey at any hour. He hoped that we cherished no ill will against 
him for his action on the preceding day. We were not able to determine 
whether a favorable reply had been received from the colonel or whether 
this change of attitude was due to our arguments on the evening previous 
and to the influence of Seiior Arriola. We left Bayombong with an escort 
consisting of a second lieutenant and 10 soldiers. The band was paraded and 
church bells rung. There was the greatest possible cordiality of feeling. At 
Bayombong there are stationed the commandante. First Lieutenant Gemenes, 
and a second lieutenant. There are 6ij or 70 soldiers at Bayombong, armed, in 
this case, with both Remington and Mauser rifles. 

25. We proceeded through the town of Solano to Bagagag. These towns 
are similar to Bambang and Dupax. They have the customary guard of 
about 30 soldiers. There are no commissioned ofllcers in these towns, the 
soldiers being controlled by the oflicers at Bayombong. We were cordially 
received everywhere during this day and the next, and were greeted uncon- 
ditionally as friends. From Aritao to Bambang we had found very good 
roads. The weather had been clear since our departure from Carranglan, 
and the roads were consequently dry and the traveling easy. From Bagagag 
to the next town (called Elstella on the map), Cordon, the re is only a mountain 
trail. This trail is infested at certain seasons by Igorrotes, who waylay and 
murder persons traveling in small and unarmed parties. Several murders 
have occurred here recently. Three small parties of natives, with horses and 
buffaloes, had been waiting at Bagagag for several days for an opportunity 
to travel with a military escort. They joined lis next day. 

26. We left Bagabag next morning with IS soldiei-s. These, with the pack 
bearers and natives accompanying us, brought our number up to 47. The 
trail over these mountains is a good road, very easy of ascent. It winds 
up the slope, making the incline very gradual. The mountains are covered 
with forests similar to those on the Caraballo, and contain many small 
streams. There are two bamboo stockades between Bagabag and Cordon. 
One of these, Diadi, is indicated on the map; the other,"Rosario, has been 
recently erected by the native government. It is situated about halfway 
between Bagabag and Diadi. Each stockade has a garrison of 15 .soldiers in 
command of a sergeant. These stockades are merely outposts against the 
Igorrotes. They are very frail and would offer no resistance to a rifle bullet. 
In passing over these mountains our escorts used their rifles very freely, 
firing into every thick bush that might conceal a savage and frequently into 
the air as well, in order, they said, that the Igorrotes might know that our 
party carried firearms. We spent the night at Cordon, where the feeling 
toward us proved to be very friendly. There are 30 soldiers at Cordon under 
command of a first lieutenant. 

27. In passing from Diadi to Cordon we went from the province of Neuva 
Vizcaya into that of Isabella. Neuva Vizcaya Is a rich province naturally, 
but it is surrounded by the mountains, and has no outlet. The Rio Magat 
which connects the province with Rio Grande de Cagayan is not navigable, 
even for canoes of large size. The province produces principally I'ice, sugar, 
cocoa, and coffee. It is also rich in "timber. 

28. We left next morping, October 34, for Carig, intending to reach Echague 
that night. We were escorted by 6 soldiers and the lieutenant. We found 
the road to Carig in good condition, and reached that town about 10 o'clock. 
This town is small and poor. It has a guard of only 15 soldiers, with no 
oflScers. The garrison had been reduced to a minimum on account of an 
illness prevalent in the immediate locality, which had affected the soldiers. 
We left Carig after a short stay for breakfast with a squad of 5 soldiers. 
One of them introduced himself as Seiior Villa, commandante of the military 
forces of the province Cif Isabella His com])anion was Lieutenant Guzman, 
an otHcer acting as his aide. Senor Villa informed us that he had received 
orders from his colonel to leave his headquarters at Ilagan and to make all 
possible speed toward Bayombong, where we had last been heard from. His 
orders were to demand passports from us signed by Don Emilio Aguinaldo. 
If we were traveling without them, he was to examine into the object of our 
journey and to consult by wire with his colonel before permitting us to 
proceed. As there was no telegraph station at Echague, we were forc«d to 



32 

turn back to Carig. Here we were inrormed that the line was down some- 
where between the station and Ilagan. Men were sent out to repair it. and 
we were forced to wait until it should be opened. We were taken by the 
commandante to the convent of the town and installed there. Our delay in 
this town lasted seven days, from noon October 'H to noon October 31. 

29. The first two days were occupied in repairing the lines. On October 27 
Seiior Villa was able to communicate with his colonel. He brovight back the 
answer that that officer had already sent a mes.senger to the central govern- 
ment asking for instructions. We were required to await the answer of the 
message, which had been, according to the information we received, three 
days on the road. Seiior Villa as.sured us that an answer would arrive in 
three days. This appeared impossible to u.s, but we were obliged to accept 
his statement. After the expiration of three days we gave to Senor Villa, 
and requested him to send to Colonel Tirona, a telegram signed by ourselves. 
It was a mere statement that our accommodations were poor in Carig, and 
that, if a longer delay was necessary, we de-sired to proceed to Ilagau. This 
telegram was sent to Aparri. The colonel, however, at that time was on his 
way from Ilagan to Aparri. That night it rained and there was a violent 
wind. Next morning the line was down in several places. While we were 
waiting for the line to be repaired we composed a long telegram to Colonel 
Tirona, stating our position, explaining that we were required to return to 
Manila by the 26th of November, and requesting him to decide from his own 
authority whether we should proceed or turn back. On the morning of 
October 31 we gave the telegram to Seiior Villa. Senor Villa himself wrote 
a telegram to accompany ours, stating that, in his opinion, we had not come 
into the country to draw plans or for any other military purpose. This was 
a statement which he had given us to understand at the time had formed 
part of his original telegram to Colonel Tirona a few days before. The line 
from Carig to Ilagan was still closed, but that from Ilagan to Aparri was 
supposed to be open. The two telegrams were given to a mounted courier 
with orders to take them with all .speed to Ilagan; to send them from there 
by wire, and to retui-n with the answer. This journey would have occupied 
at least three days. Fortunately the line to Ilagan was reported open just 
as the courier was about to start. His orders were accordingly counter- 
manded. Colonel Tirona's answer to our first telegram came during the 
morning. It was favorable. He saluted us affectionately, and authorized 
Seiior Villa to accompany us to Ilagan. 

30. During ovir detention at Carig we were not treated as prisoners. We 
were informed that if we wished to return to Manila by the same road we 
had followed in leaving it we were at liberty to do so. Within the village 
itself we had, of course, entire liberty. We asked Seiior Villa if the Philip- 
pine republic intended to demand passports of travelers, and used the same 
argument that had proved so efficient at Bayombong. He replied that it 
would be the custom only in time of war. He cla.ssed this period as a time 
of war and the compress at Paris as a mere suspension of hostilities, at the 
end of which their nation might again be enveloped in war. Our relations 
with Seiior Villa were mainly official. His manner toward us was brusque, 
and at times di.scourteous. He was extremely suspicious of us. particularly 
of the diary that we kept from day to day, and of a camera that formed part 
of our equipment. He became slowly convinced, however, that we were not 
seeking for military information. After he had assured himself of this, he 
told lis that the colonel had feared that we were making maps of the coun- 
try. During the rest of our journey we were entirely free from the taint of 
this suspicion. According to Senor Villa's statement, the charge had first been 
made by the Spanish prisoners, who have never ceased to warn the natives 
that American troops would come into the province to conquer them, when 
they would find themselves in worse hands than before they rebelled against 
Spain. 

31. A redeeming feature of our detention at Carig was the companionship 
of two lieutenants of the Philippine army that were quartered with us. 
These officers. Lieutenant Guzman and Lieutenant CSarabal, were very 
pleasant and gentlemanly. 

32. We left Carig on the afternoon of October 31, accompanied by Comman- 
dante Villa, Lieutenant Guzman, IJoutenant Clarabal, and the h soldiers 
that had arrived with the commandante. It had rained almost constantly 
during the last week, and the two rivers between Carig and Echague were 
greatly swollen. We lost a horse in the river Carig, but crossed without 
other accident. In these streams, and particularly in the river Magat and 
the Rio Grande de Cagayan, there are many alligators, of which the natives 
are in great fear. No native will venture into the water nor into the gra.ss 
along the bank until he has first thrown stones in front of him to frighten 
away any alligators which may be in the neighborhood. 

33. Echague is somewhat larger and more pretentious than Carig. It has 
a guard of 20 soldiers. From this town we went by boat to Ilagan! sending 
the servants with the horses by the road. The boat was a dugout 25 feet 

3949 



33 

long and 3 feet wide, with a grass canopy amidship 8 feet long. It was rowed 
by six natives. There are many eddies and whirlpools in the river, i-ender- 
ing it for some distance below Echague almost nnnavigable even for bancas. 
We shipped water repeatedly and were twice nearly swamped. Farther 
down, particularly below the mouth of the Rio Magat, the stream is deeper 
and quieter, and cascoes and pangas come up to this point with freight re- 
ceived from the steamers at Aparri. 

34. We arrived at Ilagan that evening, November 1. This town is the cap- 
ital city of the province of Isabella. It has a population of between ten and 
fifteen thousand inhabitants, and has many large wooden houses roofed with 
corrugated iron, giving it rather a European ajipearance. It is well situated 
for defense, being at the junction of the Rio Piuacanauan with the Rio Grande. 
It is protected by these wide streams from all points except the south. To 
attack the city by land from the south it woulit be necessary to bring troops 
up the eastern side of the Rio Grande, where there are no roads. The site of 
the city is raised, moreover, about 40 feet above the level of the river. At 
this city there are stationed the commandante, Sefior Villa, 2 captains, 4 
lieutenants, 1 surgeon, and about KXJ soldiers. Besides the officers named 
above, there is a "coiumandante interno," or civil officer, who takes charge 
in the absence of the commandante. 

35. We remained at Ilagan two days and were treated with great friendU- 
ness. The commandante interno, who is the highest civil officer in the prov- 
ince, was partiiularly cordial. This gentleman, Senor Guzman, father of the 
lieutenant who was with us at Carig, is a member of one of the most influ- 
ential families in the province, and his friendship was of great advantage to 
us. In this town we were entertained at the house of a wealthy citizen. The 
first night after our arrival a ball was given in our honor, at which there were 
over forty young ladies and an equal number of well-dressed and gentlemanly 
men. The ball was well conducted. The dances were Spanish. The next 
evening we were invited to the theater to see two one-act Spanish comedies, 
presented by the society young people of the town. They were both excel- 
lently given, and spoke well for the intelligence of the players. 

36. We desired to continue our journey from Ilagan to Tuguegarao and 
from that point across the mountains to the western coast. This request was 
wired by Seiior Villa to Colonel Tirona at Aparri. That officer replied that it 
would not be possible to make the proposed trip at this season of the year. 
He invited us to proceed to Aparri, .saying that he would send a steam launch 
up the river to take us to that city. We replied by another telegram, re- 
peating our request and saying that the trip across the mountains would be 
made at our own risk. The reply was a courteously worded but positive 
refusal. The colonel had sent out messengers to examine the roads and they 
reported them impassable. Moreover, there was danger from Igorrotes. He 
said that he felt himself responsible for our safety in the district over which 
he held command. He feared that any accident happening to our party 
might be misconstrued by our Government and create a wrong and injurious 
impression of the good faith of the Philippines and the tranquillity of the 
country. He repeated his invitation to visit Aparri, take a steamer from 
that port, disembark at a northern point on the western coast, and continue 
our journey south by land. This arrangement was accepted as the most sat- 
isfactory one left open to us. 

37. There are many Spanish prisoners in this town— civil officers, priests, 
soldiers. Eighty-four priests were paraded in the street for our inspection. 
The greater number of them were dressed in civilian garb, only four or five 
of them wearing the robes of their office. Nearly all of them wore long hair 
and beards. They appeared in good health, and we could detect no evidence 
of maltreatment. These priests had been assembled from different parts of 
the province. They are kept under stricter guard than either of the other 
two classes of prisoners for the reason that the native officials fear that if 
permitted to go among the people they will use the influence they possess 
through their position in the church to incite them against the P'hilijipine 
government. We also met Don Jose Perez, a Spaniard, who had previously 
been governor of the island. He was well dressed and appeared to be enjoy- 
ing all the ordinary comforts. 

38. Our horses arrived at Ilagan November 2 and were sent on to Aparri 
next day. The steam launch mentioned by the colonel not arriving on time, 
we expressed our desire to set oiit in a canoe without delay. A " panga " or 
large built-up canoe, rowed by twelve men,was accordingly prepared. Friday 
morning. November 4, we embarked for Aparri. We were accompanied on 
the journey by Commandante Villa and Lieutenant Guzman. All the offi- 
cers, civil and mil-'ary, of the town accompanied us to the boat and wished 
us a pleasant journey. 

39. The trip from Ilagan to Aparri lasted three days. We stopped at only 
one town on the way. This was Cabagan Viejo, which we visited while wait- 
ing for the moon to rise on the evening of the third day. At 4 o'clock on the 
afternoon of the second day we were met, about 18 miles above Aparri, by 

3949—3 



34 

the steam auncli sent by Colonel Tirona. We were taken in tow and arrived 
at Aparri that night, November 5. 

40. In these two days we passed out of the province of Isabella and entirely 
through the province of Cagayan. These are the leading tobacco provinces 
in the island. An idea of their wealth can be obtained from the fact that 
before the Philippine insiirrection S'>-<JOO,000 in tobacco alone came yearly 
from the one province of IsaVK41a. The tobacco of this province is preferred 
for exportation to that of Cagayan. Both provinces raise also sugar, rice, 
cocoa, and coffee. Cattle also are shipped from Aparri. The Rio Grande 
through these provinces is the great artery of trade. Tobacco is sent down 
the river in cascoes and pangas, and imports from Aparri are taken back by 
the same means. The current is very swift, and it is slow and diflficult work 
to ascend the river in these boats. Poling is the method resorted to. The 
banks of the river are aljout 3(J feet above the stream over most of the dis- 
tance and are regular throughout. The width of the river varies from KX) to 
500 yards. Much fishing with nets is done in the river. 

41. At Aparri we went alongside the Philippina and reached the wharf by 
crossing this vessel. We were met on board by Commandante Loyba, mili- 
tary commander in the province of Cagayan. We were taken to a private 
house, where we were quartered during our stay, at Aparri. Here we met 
Colonel Tirona, commander of the military district, including the provinces 
of Neuva Vizcaya, Isabella, and Cagayan. He welcomed us cordially and 
continued from that time to treat us in a very friendly manner. We remained 
at Aparri three days, until the departure of the steamer OaZo, November 9. 

42. The steamer Satnrnas, which had left the harlior the day before our 
arrival, brought news from Hongkong papers that the Senators from the 
United States at the congress or Paris favored the independence of the 
islands, with an American protectorate. Colonel Tirona considered the in- 
formation of sufficient reliability to justify him in regarding the Philijipine 
independence as assured and warfare in the island at an end. For this rea- 
son he proceeded to relinquish the military command he held over the prov- 
inces and to place this power in the hands of a civil officer elected by the 
people. On the day following our arrival in Aparri the ceremony occurred 
which solemnized this transfer of authority in the province of Cagayan. 
The presidentes locales of all the towns in the province were present at the 
ceremony, conducted by a native priest. After the prie.st had retired Colonel 
Tirona made a short speech, stating that, since in all probabilities pcrmaiient 
peace was at hand, it became his duty to relinquish the authority he had . 
previously held over the province and to place it in the hands of a civil ofh- 
cer elected by the people. He then handed the staff of office to the man who 
had been elected " jefe-provincial." 

This offlcei' also made a speech, in which he thanked the disciplined mili- 
tary forces and their colonel for the service they had rendered the province 
and assured them that the work they had begun would be perpetuated by 
the people of the province: where every man, woman and child stood ready 
to take up arms to defend their newly won liberty and to resist with the 
last drop of their blood the attemxit of any nation whatever to bring them 
back to their former state of dependence. His speech was very impassioned. 
He then knelt, placed his hand on an open Bible, and took the oath of office. 
. He was followed by the three other officers who constitute the provmcial 
government, the heads of the three departments— .justice, police, and inter- 
nal revenue. Every town in this i)roviuce has this same organization. At 
the time of our departure Colonel Tirona planned to go within a few days 
to llagan and from there to Bayombong, repeating this ceremony in the 
capital city of each province. 

4S. We were hospitably entertained at the Aparri: two balls were given in 
our honor. The town has a poi:)ulation of 20,no(j inhabitants. It has many 
handsome houses and several well-deflned streets. The military force sta- 
tioned here consists of 300 soldiers, in addition to which the harlDor has the 
protection of the gunboat Philipj^inn, which carries two guns of a caliber of 
about 3 inches. There are several officers here, three captains and five or six 
lieuTenants. The colonel goes from town to town in his di.strict, and Com- 
maiidante Leyba spends part of his time at Tuguegarao. There are no Span- 
iards here, with the exception of two or three men/hants: one of these, repre- 
senting the company of the steamer Sa i unias we hav(( met. He is pursuing his 
business entirely unmolested. All the priests, soldiers, and civil officers 
have been sent to Tuguegarao and other towns up the river. Colonel Tirona 
does not consider them secure in a port town. 

44. We left Aparri November !) on tlie steamer Oslo. Before leaving Colonel 
Tirona provided us with a letter directed to Colonel Tino, at Vigan, in the 
province of Ilocus Sur: or. in the event of his absence from that town, to the 
commandante. This letter was sealed. The steamer left port at 12.30 p. m., 
drawing 14 feet 9 inches: Captain Pederson, t ommanding the Oslo, was not 
acquainted with the port of Currimao. in tli< province of Ilocos Norte, the 
port at which we wished to disemba'-k, but took us to Salomague, a few miles 
3949 



85 

farther sotitli, in the province of llocos Sur. The natives assert that the 
former harbor is much more secure and easy to enter than the latter. The 
Oslo remained outside the breakers, while we were put ashore in a ship's 
boat. We passed several native canoes going out to the ship, the leading one 
having on Ijoard a sergeant with a squad of soldiers. We landed on the 
beach and immediately sent the boat back to the ship. A few minutes later 
two officials from the town of Cabu.jao rode up. Our arrival had been re- 
ported to them, and they had come immediately to refuse us permission to 
disembark. The Oslo was already under way, however, and they were not 
able to carry out their intention. On the shore at Salomague there is a forti- 
fication about 5 feet high and 1.50 feet long. This barricade is built of sticks 
arranged in two rows and filled in between with sand and coral stones. 

Its walls are about 4 feet thick, and it is built in the form of a crescent, 
with the concave part toward the sea. The formation of the reefs here and 
for some distance south along the coast is coral. The officers who met us 
were both dressed in military uniform. One of them wore the insignia of a 
first lieutenant, the other none whatever. Horses were provided for us. and 
we accompanied the officers to C'abugoa. The officer without insignia of 
rank proved to be a native priest, the cure of the village. He put on his robe 
over his uniform as soon as he reached the convent. It is a fact worthy of 
note that in every town we visited in the provinces on the western coast we 
were met by a cure, who appeared to have great influence in civil matters. 
In the four provinces we had previously visited, on the contrary, we .saw 
only one native priest. He was in a church performing service. At Uabagao 
our letter to Colonel Tino was not sufficient to gain permission to proceed. 
We were detained here all day, while the lieutenant sent a messenger to 
Vigan to obtain instruction from the commandante. The telegraph line was 
down and we could not wire. VVe were treated very coolly at this town and 
■were regarded with suspicion. Next morning, an answer not having been 
received from Vigan, we asserted our right to proceed to that town to pre- 
sent our letter to the commandante. The lieutenant finally withdrew his 
objections. There were no transportation accommodations. We succeeded 
at length in buying one horse and a broken-down killis, in which only one 
could ride. We proceeded to the town of Lapo, where we changed vehicles. 
We left that town in a killis drawn by a steer. We were halfway between 
Lapo and Magsingal when we were met by three military officers— two cap- 
tains and a lieutenant— in a carriage drawn by two horses. The senior captain 
informed us that they had been sent down from Vigan by the commandante, 
with orders to require ns to turn back and reembark on our ship, the report 
having reached Vigan that we had disembarked from an American man-of- 
war, which wa-^^ still waiting for us at Salomague. When we explained our 
position and showed them the letter to Colonel Tino, or, in case of his ab- 
sence, to the commandante at Vigan, they permitted us to proceed to Mag- 
singal, where they could communicate with their superior. They very 
politely insisted on our taking their carriage, while they followed in our cart. 
We were delayed at Magsingal until the early evening, waiting for an answer 
from the commandante. He brought the answer himself, in a handsome 
carriage drawn by four horse.5. He had with him a copy of the order he had 
just received from the Philippine secretary of war. This order granterl lib- 
erty to persons of anv nation, except Spain, to travel at will throusffi the 
islands, under certain 'restrictions, viz. that they could not carry arms, nor 
approach within 200 meters of a fortification, nor make any plans, or take 
photographs of them. In compliance with this order, we were allowed to 
proceed, but were reauested to give up all our arms, including our revolvers. 
We went on to Vigan" that night, accompanied by the commandante and five 
other officers who had assembled at Magsingal. We rode in carriages, none 
of them drawn by fewer than three horses, and arrived at Vigan about 8 
o'clock. Vigan is a town of about :.'7.n00 inhabitants. Its streets are well laid 
out, and all the houses near the center of the town are built of wood, usually 
whitewashed. It has much more the appeai-ance of a city than any other 
town we have visited. We were entertained at the palacio. This building 
before the insurrection had been the residence of the governor of the prov- 
ince, but it is now used as the headquarters of Colonel Tino. It is by far the 
handsomest hoxise we have seen outside of Manila, and is perhaps the equal 
of any there. There is another house in the town even more elegant; this 
was formerly the residence of the archbishop. At the palacio there are quar- 
tered over eighteen military officers: they are all very young, as is usual in 
the Philippine army. The oldest one among them was a man of 39 years, with 
the grade of captain. . , , 

46. We remained at Vigan all next day, November 13. It had ramed dur- 
ing the night, rendering impassable a part of the road to the next town. We 
walked through the town and visited the houses of several tradespeople. 
At one of these houses we heard the first and only definite complaint which 
caiue to our ears during the entire journey on the part of the natives against 
the present government. These people complained of the taxes imposed 



36 

upon them and even went so far as to state that they preferred the Spanish 
GoveTimient. This statement was made in the presence of a party of six 
natives and was acquiesced in by all; they were all, however, of the same 
family. 

47. Next morning we left Vigan and proceeded to Santa Maria, passing 
through the towns of Santa and Narvacan. Between Santa and Narvacan 
we came to the pass of Pidig. The road here goes between a bold rocky point 
and the sea. To-day the sea line was 70 or HO feet from the bluff, but in windy 
weather the waves cover the road and dash against the bluff. During the 
insurrection the Spaniards attempted to defend this pass; their barricades 
are still standing. We were escorted out of Vigan by the commandante and 
eight of his ofiici?rs, all in carriages. These turned back, one at a time, until 
we were left with one lieutenant, who had been detailed to accompany us to 
San Fernando, and by two captains, who were going home on leave of ab- 
sence. We also had a guard of four soldiers, who rode ahead with jiennants 
and cleared the road. At each town we were joined by the senior officer sta- 
tioned there, who accompanied us on horseback to the next town. Prom 
Narvacan we were accomimnied to Santa Maria by Captain Natividad, 
an officer 18 years of age, who commands the military forces in the three 
neighboring towns. Captain Natividad remained with us at Santa Maria, 
where we spent the night in a convent. We intended to leave this town by 
trail for the mountains, passing through the provinces of Lepanto and Ben- 
guet and returning to the main road in the province of Union. When we 
wished to start next morning. Captain Natividad oppo.sed our going, saying 
that he was under orders to take that action. It rained very hard all night 
and all morning, and the Captain gave as his first reason that the roads were 
not passable. It was only when we continued to insist that he told us posi- 
tively that he could not permit us to go, as there was danger from Igorrotes 
and Colonel Tino felt himself responsible for our safety. He told us that 
Colonel Tino had invited us to visit him at San Fernando. We left Santa 
Maria that afternoon and reached Condon before night, passing through the 
towns of San Estiiban and Santiago. We were escorted by the lieutenant 
and Captain Natividad. We found Condon a handsome town systematically 
laid out. After Vigan, it is the handsomest town we visited. There are two 
captains here and several lieutenants. We were received here with unusual 
cordiality and were accompanied out of town next morning by the presidente 
local and by a captain stationed at the town. Our journey this day took us 
to Namagpacan, passing through the towns of Santa Lticia, Santa Cruz, and 
Tagudin. Fresh horses were procured at each town and the officers accom- 
panying us were changed. 

is. In going from Tagudin to Bangar we passed from the province of Ilocos 
Sur into that of Union. The province of Ilocos Sur raises principally rice, 
tobacco, sugar, cattle, and sbeej). The tobacco is of an inferior quality, being 
coarser and stronger than that raised in Isabella and Cagayan. The cultiva- 
tion of cocoanuts is profitable and is increasing. Goats and pigs are raised in 
great numl)ers. Many of the people are engaged in the weaving of cotton, 
from which they make cloth, towels, etc. The cloth is coarse, but very 
strong. The natives realize the inferiority of the cloth and the discrepancy 
between its commercial value and the labor expended on it. Some of the 
cottsn comes from Ilocos Norte and from Abra; much of it, however, comes as 
thread from Manila. The only part of the province that is cultivated or set- 
tled is a narrow strip between the province and the sea. This strip is very 
thickly settled. In the mountains there are mines of copper, sulphur, and 
gold; but these wo have not seen. The Spaniards have spent much time and 
labor on these coast provinces, relatively speaking. Probably the best road 
in the island is the one on which we traveled through Ilocos Sur and Union. 
It is raised aVjove the level of the fields, and has a foundation of stone and 
lime. Bridges were built when the road was constructed, over a hundred 
years ago, but they are down pow. Some of these were passable at the be- 
ginning of the insurrection, but were Ijurned during that struggle. At the 
beginning of the dry season every vear bamlioo bridges were put across these 
streams. They usually last from December to June. Several of them have 
already been built this year, biit the recent rains had caused them to be 
washed away. During the rainy months other methods are adopted for 
crossing these streams. The streams are numerous, but many of them have 
very little current. They are crossed by a ferry— a bamboo raft hauled 
across by means of a baniboo rope which spans the stream. Traveling on 
this road in the rainy season is rather difficult. Carriages are usually used 
but they are frequently mired and the passengers ai'e compelled to walk. 
The carriages are drawn by either horses, steers, or buffaloes, according to 
the state of the road. The towns along this road have usually many wooden 
houses, and invariably a very handsc >me church and convent, usually of brick. 
There are more barrios here than in the eastern provinces; each town has 
two or three. Spanish soldiers laid waste this region during the insiirrection / 
of 189(1. The principal buildings in many towns have been burntrpSfticularly 



37 

in the province of Union. On the other hand, during the last insurrection 
the Spaniards took refuge in the large buildings, and these are consequently 

"^iq^'^wIs^wJif the ni'lht in the small town of Namagpacan and went on to 
San Fernando next morning. Carriages were prepared for us at every vil- 
lage and we traveled with the customary escort. At San Fernando we met 
Colonel Tino. commander of the military district embracing the provmces of 
North and South Ilocos, Union, Abra, Lepauto, Bontoc and Benget This 
officer had received his commission as brigadier-general three days betore 

°^^^^4?i Vec1.i^fdromelf by this officer, b^^^ 

several times his suspicion with regard to the object of our journey. He 
IS several times if we knew how to make maps and plans; also why we 
were not in uniform. We had sent word to this officer that we de.sired to 
Sfhe province of Benguet, taking the trail from San FeTiiando He 
showed us an unsigned telegram purporting to be from the central govern- 
ment instructing him not tSpernlit the American offl^-^rs toreconnoiter any 
further in the district. For this reason he said he could not permit us to 
visit Ben-uet! We sent, through him, a telegram to the central government 
repeatog our request and calling attention to their war department s order 
of October 20 regarding travelers. We were mformed next morning by 
General Tino that our request had been refused. The reason given was that 
there were dangers on th4 trail. We accordingly left the town next morn- 
ing, taking the road directly for Dagupau. T*. ;„ „ f^TTrr, 
.50. San Fernando is the capital city of the prqvmce of Union, It is a town 
of only three or four thousand inhabitants and is very limited in area lying 
between the mountains and the sea. It is the port for the Pi-oviuce of Uii on. 
We have seen trains of buffalo carts taking tobacco there for expoi tation. 
There were about twenty military officers m the town when we %y(;re there. 
Many rf them are on General Tino's staff and are not regularly stationed m 

^WFl-om San Fernando to Dagupan there were few signiflcant or instruct, 
ive incidents. We were never without a guard of soldiers. At the town of 
Baoong we met a German. Mr. Otto Sheerer, who had Hved three years m 
the province of Benguet and was about to return there with his family He 
said the tmfl was safe and could be traveled by horses The Igorrotes of the 
province, according to his statement, are a very gentle people. These aie 
the civilized Igorrotes, or Tinguines. At noon November 18 we arrived at 
Santa Tomas. The land between here and Dagupan is very low; the roads 
are heavy. We accordingly took a native sailboat for Parao ; f rom that^town 
to Daoupan The natives, fearing to take their boat across the bar at Dagu- 
pam we CTOssed that at San Fabian and proceeded to our 'destination through 
a protected inlet of the sea. Along our route there were S^^t beds of nipa. 
This plant is of great value to the natives. Wines are made from the sap 
and the leaves are used for thatching houses. We arrived at Dagupan that 
night and at Manila November 'M. We reported to the commanding officer 
of the Monad II crk and next morning to the commander m chiet. 

53 The foregoing narrative of our journey is designed to give a general 
description of the country we passed through and ot the ^ii^^t^io^?:, "^J^^^J^^i 
and to Illustrate by its incidents the charactei- and grade of intelligence of 
fts pe?.ple and their attitude toward Americans, especially l^J.^^^l^^^^i^^^^f^ 
as military officers. The information we have acquired on certain points is 
summed up in the following paragraphs; 

INTELLTGENOE AND EDUCATION OF THE NATIVES. 

53 The Philippine officers, both military and civil, that we have met in all 
the provinces we have visited have, with very few exceptions, been men of 
intelKit appearance and conversation. The same is true of all those men 
who form the%%er class in each town. The education of most o them is 
Umited, but the) appear to seize every opportunity to improve it They have 
gS respect and Admiration for learning. VeiT many ot them desire to send 
their children to schools in the United States or Europe Many men otmor- 
tance in different towns have told us that the first use to be '"^de of theiev^ 
enue of their government, after there is no more danger of war w 11 be to 
start L'ood schools in everv village. The poorer classes are extremely igno- 
■ rant on most subjects, but a large percentage of them can read and write. 

RELATION BETWEEN RICH AND POOR. 

.54 There is a very marked line between these two classes, and th^ has 
been broadened by' the Insurrection, for the reason that military officers 
S equtp themSllves without pay, and that civH officers .have numerous 
expenses for which they receive no return. All officers, civi a,nd militaiy, 
havl therefore been chosen from, the richer ''lass^ and the Pohtical and mil - 
tary power of the provinces is in the hands of that class, ihe piivate sol- 



38 

diers are fed and clothed by the government and allowed a very small amount 
of spending money— in the western provinces 30 cents in silver per week. 

ATTITUDE OF THE MILITARY TOWARD THE CIVIL CLASS. 

55. In the provinces of the east that we have visited there appears to be 
little or no friction between the civil and military clas.ses. Officers and pri- 
vates, as far as we could observe, treat civilians with consideration. In the 
provinces of Ilocos Sur and Union there is a marked ditfcrence. The officers are 
more domineering. In traveling in these provinces we had many opportunities 
to observe this attitude. When accidents happened to our carriage, the offi- 
cer commanding our escort called to our assistance every native in sight. 
When they did not answer his call promptly, we have seen him strike them 
with his riding whip. One man had a serious wound on his face where an 
officer had struck him with his pistol butt. He came to us for redress, after 
having ai)pealed in vain to the military officer in command of the town. An 
order from Don Emilio Aguinaldo, dated October 18, IWtf?, calls the attention of 
his officers to the evils of this practice and orders them to correct it in them- 
selves and to instruct all sergeants, corporals, and privates on the attitude 
they should maintain toward civilians. 

DOMINION OF THE CHURCH. 
/~ 

56. In the provinces of Nueva Icija, Nueva Vizcaya, Isabella, and Cagayan 
the native priests have no voice whatever in civil matters. 

The Catholic Church itself seems to have very little hold on the people of 
these provinces. Many men have expressed to us their preference for the 
Protestant Church. In Ilocos Sur and Union there are many more priests 
than in the other provinces mentioned . Every pueblo and barrio has its cura, 
and there are higher offices of the church in the larger towns. They appear 
to have an important influence in all civil matters. 

POPULAR SENTIMENT REGARDING INDEPENDENCE. 

57. Of the large number of officers, civil and military, and of leading towns- 
people we have met nearly every man has expressed in our presence his sen- 
timent on this (luestion. It is universally the same. They all declare they 
will accept nothing short of independence. They desire the protection of the 
United States at sea, but fear any interference on land. The question of the 
remuneration of our Government for the exxion.se of establishing a protecto- 
rate is never touched upon. On the subject of independence there is. again, a 
marked difference between the towr provinces first visited and those of Ilocos 
Sur and Union. In the former there is more enthusiasm— the sentiment is 
more of the people: in the latter it is more of the higher class and of the army. 
In these provinces we have seen signs of actual discontent with the existing 
state of things. 

ATTITUDE TOWARD THE UNITED STATES. 

58. There is much variety of feeling among the Philip])ines with regard to 
the debt of gratitude they owe to the United States. In every t( >wn we found 
men that said our nation had saved them from slavery, and othirs who claimed 
that without our interference their independence would have been recog- 
nized before this time. On one point they are united, however, viz, that 
whatever our Government ffiay have done for them it has not gained the 
right to annex them: They have been prejudiced against us by the Spaniards. 
The charges made have been so numerous and so severe that what the natives 
have since learned has not sufficed to disillusion them. With regard to the 
record of our policy towai'd a siabject peo^jle. they have received remarkable 
information on two points— that we have mercilessly slaiu and finally extermi- 
nated the race of Indians that were native to our soil, and that \ve went to 
war in 18t)l to supiiress an insurrection of negro slaves, whom we also ended 
by exterminating. Intelligent and well-informed men have believed these 
charges. They were rehearsed to us in many towns in different provinces, 
beginning at Malolos. The Si)anish version of our Indian problem is particu- 
larly well known. 

^ PREPAREDNESS FOR WAR. 

59. The Philippine government has an organized military force in every 
province we have visited. They claim it extends also into Ilocos, Norte, 
Abra, Lepanto, Bontoc, and Benguet. With regard to its existence in Ilocos 
and Benguet, we can speak with assurance. 

We have met two officers with the I'ank of captain who are regularly sta- 
tioned at Laoag, the capital city of Ilocos Norte, and also the commandante 
of the province of Benguet. The latter officer had come to San Fernando to 
obtain instructions from General Tino. and wiis about to return to Trinidad, 
the capital of that province. The number of troops under arms can only be 
given approximately. There are comparatively few in Neuva Icija; an esti- 
mated number of not over 300. In the military district embracing the prov- 



39 

nee of Neuva Vizcaya, Isabella, andCagayan, Colonel Tirona, Commandante 
Levba, and Commandante Villa agreed m giving the number of soldiers iindei 
arms actually as 3,000. An estimate, founded on the size of the garrisons 
in the towns we visited, would brmg the number nearly up to that flgure 
In the western military districts the number of forces is about doub.e that 
number, leaving out those stationed in the interior provinces of Abra, Le- 
panto, Bontoc, and Benguet, of which we know nothing positively In the 
coast pro\inces of Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, and Union a conservative esti- 
mate of the forces is 3,5*. In most of the pueblos the garrison is J ut little 
larger than those in the towns of the western districts; Init there are many 
bai-rios, each one of which has its guard of soldiers, ^ever less than 13 In 
the eastern military d istrict we met not more than 'Zr, ol^cers, and m tbe 
western district oxev m. There are rifles enough for all, principally Reming- 
S. but many^Iausers. In every cuartel there were at least as many rifles 
as there were soldiers in the garrison. The arms are more numerous m the 
llstefn than in the western ifrovinces. It is safe to estimate the numl^r of 
rifles in the eastern district as at least twice the ^^"m^er f soldiei s^ Com- 
mandaute Villa and other officers made the statement that 40,000 rifles weie 
H" distributed among the people of that district. We have seen no proof 
of this ItLtement. Animunition is said to be plentiful and it aPPearsso 
from the fact that the soldiers use it freely m hunting for deer. With legai d 
to the total force of the Philippine army actual and I'eserve we can not 
speak from our own knowledge. Colonel Tirona claimed that 300, WW men 
f?omall the islands could be put in the field well ^rmed; and severa other 
officers have independently given the same figure Every oQicer tbat we 
have seen carried a Spanish sword and revolver. They wear these weapons 
constantly, but regard them with contempt, preferrmg the bpla at ^' "^e quaa- 
ters The P/n7nwma, which was at Aparri during our visit, carries two 
guns of a caliber of about 3 inches. These are the only guns we have sewi, 
with the exception of two revolving cannons m the palacio at Ma 'los We , 
saw no f ortiflcations. The Spaniards have left numerous stockadSs m the 
^ifder regions and the natives have built a few others. There are also nu- 
merous barricades thrown up during the insurrection. In the towns the 
S^mniards defended themselves in t>he houses for want of other protection 
The military spirit pervades in the eastern district where every town and 
WiSsoi-gliiizea companies of its children which are drilled every day 
111 the western districts we did not see any children under arms- Th^ otocers 
have had no military education except that which tbey gained dm ing the 
insurrection. Spanish drill tactics are used, and most of the officers are still 
studying the elementary test-book. 
Respectfully submitted. ^ ^ WILCOX, 

Paymaster, U. S. N. 
LEONARD R. SARGENT, 

Naval Cadet, U. S. N. 

The following document has been translated in English and i;eprinted by 
the " Comitlcentral Filipino en el Extrangero," in virtue of instructions re- 
cefved f rom their government. Official editipns of t^is correspondence have 
been forwarded through the post to the Presidents of both Houses. 

To the honorable the members of the United States Senate 

and House of Representatives, Washington, D. C. 

Gentlemen: The government of the Philippine republic being informed 
that it £ the intentk,n of the President of the United States to convene a 
meeting of the honorable members of Congress at a comparatively early date 
fSftle purpose of discussing and passing a resolution l^^vi tf /nre4n 'iftua 
in^t de(^sion as to the policy to be pursued in reference to the pie^ent situa- 
i on fn thTpwfippiues! I bel'ieve it to be consistent with the dictates of cour^ 
tesv as well as a duty to humanity, that m view of the fact that 1 ha\ e neen 
intrusted with the portfolio of foreign atfairs I should respectfully submit 
Sis document to yo?i?setting forth the aspirations of the Filipino people an^^ 
their reasons and .pistiflcation for wishing to be recognized by youi influential 
Government as an independent state. ,.;„„„ic<v,ori nr,n«irlprn- 

Allow me, gentlemen, to lay before you, for your ^distinguished considera- 
tion, the factland rights that form the grounds upon which the claim for 
recognition is made and sustained. 

riRST. 

It is generally accepted as an axiom that as regards international affairs 
the larleTaml more powerful a state the greater Is the obligation morally 
to support and maintain lesser states in the independence the welfare and 
the happiness with which God, in His bountiful goodness, has designed should 
be theirs and of which the greater states are guardians. 
3949 



^ 



-i 



40 

For instance, it appears evident that the powerful and wealthy nation 
which you, gentlemen, represent in Congress has been deputed by God to 
assist the weak Filipinos in the arduous and difficult task of restoration of 
their independence. 

flloquent proof of this is to be found in the cooperation ofifered and ren- 
derecT'tft Doii 'Emilio Aguinaldo in May, 1898, by the United States consuls at 
Hongkong and Singapore ( Mr. RounsevelleWiTdman and Mr. E. Spencer Pratt) 
in order that our illustrious leader might continue the revolutionarj' war 
waged against Spaiu in 1896 and 1897, hostilities in connection with which were 
suspended under the provisions of the compact of Biacnabato. 

The cooperation referred to consisted of the facts that the United States 
dispatch boat 3/ct'i'//oc/( (attached to Admiral Dewey's squadron) conveyed 
Don Emilio Aguinaldo from Hongkong to Cavite. where he arrived on the 19jth 
Jlay, 189S: that Admiral Dewey leceived Don Emilicj Aguinaldo with the cer- 
emony and honors due to a general, in the presence of the whole of the officers 
and men of the flagship oh/iiipia, and, besides, gave him 60 Spanish Manser 
rifles to aid in a renewal of the revolution against Spain; that Gen. Emilio 
Aguinaldo v/as allowed to establish in Cavite— which was then held by the 
United States naval forces— the headquarters of the Filipino government, 
which commenced to exercise the functions of government on the ,'Mth May, 
1898, issuing therefrom a proclamation declaring war against Spaiu to wrest 
from her our independence, f Proclamation attached hereto.) 

The letters of the aforesaid consuls, which are attached hereto for the in- 
formation of the free and enlightened citizens of the United States, confirm 
the ab')ve statements. 

Mr. Pratt, in one of his letters, says he congratulates himself on the rapid 
triumphs of Don Emilio Aguinaldo over the Spaniards, as it proves the wis- 
dom of his judgment in recommending him to Admiral (then Commodore) 
Dewey and the Government at Washington, and lie added that ho hoped to 
receive, when General Aguinaldo captured Manila, some historic memento of 
the place and of the incident, such as the flag or keys of the city or principal 
fortress. 

Consul Genera] Wildman, of Hongkong, instructed Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo, 
in a letter attached hereto, respecting the treatment of Spanish prisoners, 
advising General Aguinaldo to give them only rice and water and treat the 
Spaniards "as they would treat you," advice which our humane leader de- 
clined to accept and act upon. 

Thus in this wholly unexpected and unforeseen way bonds of good will and 
friendship wore formed between Americans and Filipinos, resulting, as is 
well known, in the heroic and triumphant camx)aigii of the Filipino army 
against the S]);iniards, though it must be admitted, with due regard for the 
truth, that after the above-mentioned assistance and cordial cooperation our 
army received no mrn-e aid t i'om the high officers of the United States, the 
Filipino ai'iiiy tnereatter virr)?rmtiiig the war against the Spanish land forces 
independently of any authority other than that exercised by our successful 
and brave leader. Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo, who, while directing the military 
oi>eratious with well-nigh miraculous skill and startling results, was also en- 
gaged in the task of organizing the Filipino national government on the 
model of Western nations, which are, admittedly, founders and leaders of 
nroderrr civilization. 

Thus it is i>l;iin that it was through providential agencies that the Filipino 
state came into bi>ing on the :Uth day of May, 1898, and has existed to this 
daj'. replacing the alien Spanish Government which fell definitely on the 13th 
day of August, 1898. on which day our tmops, which, in fact, and as set forth 
fh Consnl-Genejnvl Pratt's letter's, had closely invested Manila for more than 
two months, captured the suburbs of Manila, driving the Spaniards from their 
defen.ses, wliile the United States forces peacefully occupied the walled city 
in accordance with the terms of capitulation signed by the Spanish general. 

It would seem, therefore, that thei e can be no doubt that God, in liis in- 
finite goodness, wisdom, and mercy, intrusted to the honor of the United 
States the lil)ei-ation and independence of the Filipinos: but notwithstanding 
the evidenee that the hand of Providence has guided the course of events, 
the United States are now endeavoring to prevent the consummation of the 
glorious and Just purposes of the Creator. By whom, by what agency, were 
the two peoples united in the bonds of sympathy and friendship? Who could 
have prevented it? 

Who is it that has caused these two friends and brethren to wage war 
upon one another? Alasl esteemed citizens of the great American Republic, 
you know well who is the cause of such reckless perturbation. It is the 
President of your Reiniblic, Mr. William McKinley, who, using as a pretext 
alleged rights obtained thrcuiih the i)urchase of the more than doubtful .sov- 
ereignty of Si)ain. givesevidenceol' Ids intention to ignore the bondsof friend- 
ship and guardiuushi]) which should -anite the two nations by imposing onus, 
by force of arms, the sovereignty of the United States. Is this line of con- 
duct of Mr. McKinley in harmony with the canons of morality simply be- 



41 

cause the American nation is greater, more opulent, and more po'w erf ul than 
the Filipinos^ Surely It is not, for if moral obligations, which bind parties 
to respect the generally accepted codes of morality, are applicable in inter- 
national affairs, it is beyond question that thfere should be no evasion of obli- 
gation on the part of the great American nation to stand by and protect the 
small Filipino nation xmtil the great work of secui'ing the recognition of our 
existence as an independent nation is recognized and thereby firmly estab- 
lished—a great work to which your consuls ( above mentioned) and command- 
ers unquestionably and providentially applied themselves. 

In the name, therefore, of Almighty God, of humanity, and of national 




pendence,'thereby bringing to an end this inhuman and wicked war and re- 
storing the reign of peace and harmony between Americans and Filipinos, 
who, in accordance with the infallible will of God, should live under the happy 
conditions of brotherhood. 

SECOND. 

Accomplished facts are accepted in dealing with things political as rights 
unless the facts are at variance with the doctines laid down an international 
law or the eternal principles of justice. Strictly in accordance with these 
incontrovertible principles the independence of the United States was real- 
ized and recognized in the last century. 

In the same manner, and in more recent times, the Kingdom of Italy and 
the German Empire have come into existence, the ruling princii)le being, 
and the reason of it, that all men are born equal and possess inalienable 
rights of life, liberty, independence, and freedom in the pursuit of happiness. 

Now, it is indisputable that we, the Filipinos, defeated the Spaniards, cap- 
turing 9,000 prisoners, and set up a republican government in the place of the 
one which had been vanquished. It is also beyond question that these ac- 
complished facts have been recognized in a practical manner by the high 
oflftcers who at that time, and since then, represented the United States in 
this archipelago, which is proved by the correspondence of our leader with 
Admiral (then Commodore) Dewey and Generals Anderson, Merritt. and 
Otis, copies of which are attached hereto for the information of the citizens 
of the United States. 

It is to be observed, in the first place, that in his first letter to Gen. Don 
Emilio Aguinaldo Admiral Dewey states that he has received with pleasure 
the documents forwarded to him by our distinguished leader, promising to ^ 
transmit them to their respective destinations. T^he documents referred to/ 
are: The first prolamation issued by Gen. Don Emilio Aguinaldo announcing// 
his arrival and tli'e establishment of the dictatorial government atCavite;,; 
also the proclamation of Philippine Independence, issued in the town of|! 
Cavite, in the province of the same name— some to be forwarded to the \ 
United States Government in Washington and others to be forwarded to 
the representatives of the powers in Manila. 

Secondly, it is to be noted that the Admiral in another letter asks General 
Aguinaldo" for passports for several gentlemen recommended by the British 
consul, who was also acting (Consul for the United States of America in 
Manila, to enable them to travel freely and safely through our territory. 

And, finally, it is noteworthy that Generals Anderson, Merritt, and Otis 
in their correspondence styled— as was only right and proper that they 
should— our leader "General Commanding the Philippine Revolutionary 
Army," while General Anderson asked Gen. Don Emilio Aguinaldo for quar- 
ters and camping ground tor the forces under his command, as well as other 
assistance and cooperation in the campaign against the Spaniards— oui' 
"common enemy." It is also a well-known fact that the American com- 
manders applied to us for positions and trenches for their troops in Maytubig 
so as to place their forces side by side with our troops in the siege of Manila. 
In fact, the records prove that everything was done in a manner that indi- 
cated full recognition of our triumphant revolution and the noble ends kept 
constantly in view, namely, our liberty and independence, and owing to which 
(the righteousness of our cause) the new Filipino State, by its just and irre- 
proachable procedure, unquestionably merited the consideration and respect 
of the American commanders. 

This explains now Admiral Dewey submitted for the disposition of Gen. 
Emilio Aguinaldo a protest lodged by the French consul in respect of the 
cai)ture of the steamer Compania rf<- FiUpinas, which had been seized byus, 
the Admiral stating positively that he and his forces had nothing to do with 
the affair: held no jurisdiction in the premises. 

In the light of the correspondence it is readily understooa how Generals 

Anderson and Merritt came to address telegrams to Gen. Don Emilio 

Aguinaldo on the 13th of August, ISWS (the day on which our troops captured 

the whole of the suburbs of Manila and the Spaniards in the walled city 

3919 



42 

capitulated to the forces of the United States), requesting General Agui- 
naldo to give instructions for his troops to evacuate the suburbs in order to 
avoid the dangers inseparable from a dual military occupation, and offering 
to negotiate with General Aguiualdo afterwards. 

Lastly, it is quite comprehensible how General Otis came to appeal to Gen- 
eral Aguinaldo in the name of the United States Government for the release 
of the friars held by us as prisoners— acts which show in an eloqiient manner 
distinct recognition of the sovereign power and authority of the Philippine 
people, which had been recovered from the Spaniards since then and reas- 
sumed in the exalted and worthy personality of our leader. Gen. Don Emilio 
Aguinaldo. 

) Viewed from another standpoint the above-mentioned incidents might be 
'held to indicate that they were clear evidence that it was the bounden duty 
of the American commanders to harass, and, if possible, quell the Philippine 
revolution, not convey our illustrious leader to Cavite, to begin with, and 
thereby afford him very favorable opportunity (in view of the mode of con- 
veyance, his reception by the Adraii'al, and the jiermission granted him to 
establish his headquarters in Cavite, whence he issued, without protest of 
any kind by Admiral Dewey or anyone else, a proclamation calling on the 
people to rally round his standard and wage war upon Spain to wrest from 
her the sovereignty of the archipelago) to revive the revolution against 
Spain, using his prestige and exercising his authority and genius to that end. 
But far from being indiscreet or ill considered action, the recognition of Gen- 
eral Aguinaldo's power and prestige, the arrangement to bring him back to 
the Philippines, the courtesy extended to him by Admiral Dewey, and the 
conduct of your consuls and generals was, on the contrary, rightful recogni- 
tion of our revolution, in that our sovereign rights and independent author- 
ity in the archipelago was practically conceded and accersted as accomplished 
facts. It is therefore evident that we have a perfect right, and are not 
straining any points, in demanding from the Government of Washington 
official recognition of our independence, basing the demand on the above- 
mentioned reason that accomplished facts in affairs political constitute right. 

This is altogether apart from and does not clash with the victories of your 
troops over the Spaniards, nor the cession of sovereignty by Spain in the 
treaty of Paris of the Kith of December last in favor of the United States. 

As regards your victories, there are the proclamations of General Merritt 
and the letters of General Anderson clearly setting forth that America did 
not come to the Philippines to make conquests, much less to wage war against 
the natives, but to free the people from the galling yoke of Spain. •' We came 
not as enemies, but as liberators." Such were the solemn pledges of your 
Generals Merritt and Anderson to the Filipinos when they arrived in these 
islands. 

Therefore it is plain that it can not be claimed that by reason of your vic- 
tories over the Spaniards rights of conquest accrue to you as being due from 
the Filipinos for the all-sufflcient reason that you were not engaged in war 
with us between the 1st of May, 18!t8, and the 4th of February, 189f), during 
the night of which latter date your forces, in accordance with the orders of 
President William McKinley, commenced hostilities against our forces for 
thepnrpose of establishing American sovereignty in our archipelago by force 
of arms. 

As for the cession of sovereignty, I have to say it is a null and void agree- 
ment in every resjject, for it has been celebrated in contravention of all rules 
of international law and in opposition to the eternal principles of justice. 

For example: It is not moral, nor could it be just, and much less is it in 
accord with international right to say to a nation: "I will help you to sweep 
away Snanish sovereignty and make you independent, and after helping you 
to sweep away and destroy the said sovereignty I come and buy the sover- 
eignty n-om Spain by title of ce.ssion and impose it by force of arms upon the 
protected people." 

Such a proceeding is self -condemnatory, for its accomplishment rests only 
with arbitrary power and in the power of anyone exercising siich power and 
carrying it to the extent of injuring an ally or a friend to whom protection 
is offered. Fiore, Bluntschli, and Hallet, authorities on international right, 
established as a rule to be universally applied the following: " It is not just 
under the pretext of assumed laws of nations to amalgamate or segregate a 
people against their obvious will spontaneously and voluntarily acclaimed." 

Therefore the cession in question is an act completely null and void, being 
neither moral nor just; nor is it even licit according to international law. 

On the other hand, iu respect of cessions the essential conditions include 
the possession of what is ceded, and wlien it concerns inhabited territories 
the concordance and express consent of the inhabitants is necessary. Neither 
of these conditions have been fulfilled in respect of the cession of the Phil- 
ippines by the treaty of Paris of the Kith Dec-cnjbor, 1898. First, because 
at that date, and long before it, Spain exercised no sovereignty whatever 
over any Philippine territory, which was reconquered by us and governed 



43 



bv ns since June 1898, which facts were well known to the Governments of 
feington and'Mad;-id. Second, because the Phihppme people ^ad pubhcW 

liSi^iiisiii 

^^jS^uS^il TrSof Paris of l^th December 18^^^^^^^^^^ 

any sovereign rights wha^^^e^^^^^ 

TiSidbVi^toXoseNlpoftK^^^ people an alien sovereignty by 

^°'^f,5T?'i',"l^'p;i states therefore, can not be excused from recognizing our 
ind^e^ptn^d^^J.^e"e&^^ 

nation for the generous f s^^stance proff^i ed us by theii^^^^ iuLtrious 

atives and commanders in bringing }1°I^^^°P^^^'T ^i^^^ ^y respecting that 
leader to continue the rej^ellion against b^^^^^^^ 

influence of a new foreign yoke tl^^re^^^f^^^lte'Snlv possible w^^^ 
'' ditional liberality an everlasting and mdeiilile stain. 



THIRD. 



BSS3J53S5igilSrS5 

iiilil^issisii 

?^^^-^Su^s'^^d^ec^^;^ellS^^^%S^^ 

iSiiglliSlisiii 

selves in an independent manner. recognition of our inde- 

3949 



44 

God to decide the fate of our unfortunate country— a fate which would be 
better if, heeding the dictates of Justice and humanity, your President, Mr. 
McKinley, had not chosen to wage this cruel, devastating war against U3 
with your powerful land and sea forces. 

It is sometimes said that we are to blame for the outbreak of hostilities 
during the night of the 4th February last, but this is not an established jact. 

In the first place, because we, the Filipinos, wel-e expecting aftrhat'very 
time (the beginning of February ) official recognition of our independence 
from the Government of Washington, an expectation which was justified by 
the annexed letter of Gen. E. S. Otis, dated 35th January; also on account of 
what took place at the conferences of the mixed commissions of Americans 
and Filipinos, which sat in Manila during the latter part of the said month of 
January to discu.^s matters and arrange for a basis of friendly relations be- 
tween the two parties, which, it was hoped, would be permanent. Moreover, 
there was another i-eason, namely, the Filipinos were fully awar&jof the su- 
perior-sti'cngth iif yuuiv forces, against wliom it would_have_been criminal 
folly to pit oiir inexiieric'iK-orl and undisciplined army. 

Accordingly, it is unque.-^tionable that we were not thfi.aggressors, for we 
knew full well that were we to act on the offensive we couldTooETor neither 
military nor political gain of any kind. On the contrary, we regarded such 
action as bordering on suicidal folly and well-nigh sure to brinjj down onus 
the hatred and contempt of the American people. We had, in tact, nothing 
to gain and very much to lose by aggression. 

Esteemed citizens of the United States, if with the foregoing reasoning 
there be borne in mind the fact that we were living in peace and harmony 
with your forces since June, without the smallest intention or inclination to 
commence hostilities, at a period when your forces were smaller and there- 
fore more easy to cope witli than subsequently, I verily believe that the en- 
lightened people of the United States will not be slow to realize that it is not 
in the least degree probable, nor is it reasonable to assume that we were the 
aggressors, seeing that we stood in need of their good will and were anxious 
to court and maintain a favorable impression with the American electorate 
in the interest of our cause. Peace and good will were essential to the suc- 
cess of our cause— a cause which would at once be jeopardized by any overt 
act of aggression. 

We are neither celebrated warriors nor great fighters; nor are we as quix- 
otic as the Spaniards. We took up arms to obtain our independence, and it 
is self-evident that we did not develop our little armed force for the pur- 
pose of making an enemy of such a great and mighty people as the citizens of 
the United States in order that thereby our noble cause might the more easily 
triumph. 

If we call to mind the fact that your President, Mr. McKinley, caused rein- 
forcements to be sent to Manila after the capitulation by Spain on the 30th 
August, 1H98, if we remember his refusal to listen to our humble petition to 
hfm, praying for recognition of our independence through our representa- 
tive, Don Felipe Agoncillo, whom he refused to receive, or whether we recall 
the fact that he refused to give ear unto our appeal through the good offices 
of General Otis, as is proved by aletter from the General and the [omissionin 
copy] to; and if we take into consideration that, lastly and finally, the treaty of 
Paris was so framed as to involve the cession of the sovereignty of Spain to 
the United States, 1 am of opinion that the most natural sequence of these 
incontestable moves of Mr. McKinley is to be found in the outbreak of hostili- 
ties, namely, an order from your President to General Otis to commence with 
acts of aggression and impose on us that odiovis sovereignty by force of arms, 
notwithstanding the fact that we had demonstrated and made it evident in 
every possible way from the first that we would accept no solution other 
than our independence. 

You, honorable representatives of the people of the United States, having 
in view the providential bonds which bind the fate of the Philippines to your 
supreme decision, surelv you will not be unmindful at such a momentous 
epoch of the sublime prhiciples of right and justice proclaimed by the illus- 
trious founders of your independence on -tth June, ITTtJ. Endowed with those 
magnificent principles your nation advanced rapidly along the paths of 
progress till it became great and powerful, admired and respected by all the 
aged states of Europe. 

Trusting, therefore in your glorious traditions of humanity and liberality, 
the Filipinos look forward with confidence to obtaining from your acknowl- 
edged rectitude a just resolution officially recognizing the independence of 
our beloved country. 

I have the honor to be, gentlemen, yours, very resijectfully, 
(Signed) FELIPE BUENCAMINO. 

Tarlac, P. I., SOth August, 1899. 
3919 

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